


The Forgotten Multiverses

by Sintamin



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe-OOC, Alternate Universes-characters, Anal Sex, Big Gay Love Story, Creepy, Dark, Darkness, Fix-It, Flirting, Horror, Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Multiverse, Mystery, Original Character(s), Other, Outofthisworld, Plot, Plot Twists, Relationship(s), Romance, Secrets, Sexual Tension, Slash, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Story, Story within a Story, Strangethanfanfiction, Violence, Weirdness, Yaoi, long story, strange
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 12:41:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 65,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11691846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sintamin/pseuds/Sintamin
Summary: Batman lost his world long ago and now travels alone through the Multiverse. But a long the way, he accidentally broken through another dimension and end up in a world that is not like any of the Multiverse he'd ever traveled before. What could this place even be hidden in the out skirts of the forgotten realm?





	1. The Frowning Clown

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic. I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense or a lot of words are wrong. I hope you guys can enjoy it. Also these characters are Alternative Universe of themselves.....please be gentle....T.T

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfic. I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense or a lot of words are wrong. I hope you guys can enjoy it. Also, these characters are Alternative Universe of themselves.....please be gentle....T.T
> 
> Edited Chap 1.

**Earth: 108**

**Post-Apocalypse.  
Unstable.**

This world was covered in wasteland and carnage. There was no longer anything to be saved from this world. Batman knew this. He knew he couldn’t save every planet he went into. He had long accepted the fact that some planets needed to die in order for another planet to be born. It was the first rule of the Multiverse. He was running out of time to get off this dead world, for his armour couldn't withstand another fight and its function went in and out with errors.

He just needed to get one last thing before he was gone for good.

The metal piece that shined through the dirt rocks in the background. He needed to get to that piece. That one piece... that was right behind a horrifying creature...that lingered there.

The creature was completely to blame for destroying this world. Its massive black body hunched over and resting on its long, bony hands and feet. Most of its bones were exposed from its back, elbow and jaw. The bones were like sharp, white blades to the sides. Its skin had been ripped off long ago, but only had few remaining skin left on its onyx muscles.

These pieces of metal were hidden within each Multiverse he came across to. He wasn't sure why some planets might have them, while others don't. There was nothing about them explaining where they originate from. Not even a single piece of evidence of ancient hieroglyphics or drawings of what this piece might mean. He felt that he needed to collect them, as if they were important to some sort of lost puzzle left behind by something. He just kept finding them wherever he went.

Batman snapped out of his thoughts when he got slammed into the broken cement wall. He looked up and saw the creature close to his face. Its sharp teeth large enough to take the dark knight's head cleaned off, as it tried to crush him against the wall. Batman started to shoot sticky, mini bombs at the creature as he hurled himself away from it as far as he could. As the bomb went off, the creature fell to the ground and had extensive wounds covering his whole body. Its wretched scream flowed across the wasteland and echo back from the distance. The strong dusty wind kept the dark knight hidden from the creature’s five sights, as he tries to form a plan to get around it.

But the creature used to be a monstrous version of his other self.

Apocalyptic Batman.

Or so he called it.

It took two months before Batman to fully realized anything about this creature existed on this planet or how this world used to be Earth. There were no hints of life or human beings left anywhere for him to know for sure. It was clear that any sorts of life form were long gone many years ago. The only thing that was still living was this creature itself. Alone in a wasteland.

Before the battle, Batman found his counter part's old Batcave and did a little research on how all of this came to be. He had many theories before, he placed blame on his old enemies, but Batman was never prepared to imagine another version of myself doing all this endless killing. Even worse...lost his mind. It had been a part of a greater inner fear within Batman about going insane, like how the Joker always wanted him, but Joker was always there to remind him of what he might have become into if he didn't stick to reality. And this creature was proof of horrible reminder of that fear.

Batman read some of the old, wrinkled journals of Earth-108 _Bruce Wayne_ had done, _Bruce_ experiment on a substance that he found deep within the earth's crust. He started out just a normal research, but something ha d snapped within the other _B_ _ruce_ through the later coming months. Batman couldn't find any written documents about the event, but this other _Bruce_ began to go insane and began to experiment on himself to gain some sort power into doing so. Just as quickly, the other _Bruce_ lost complete control of himself. That day forward was the day everything alive met their end. His other self was nothing more than a mindless, bloodthirsty creature roaming the wastelands.

Whatever this monstrous Bruce Wayne-108 took had enough power and strength to battle another Superman. Another thing that the journals haven't mention about was what happened to the Justice League? He could only guess that Apocalyptic Batman must have taken them out years ago. But he'll never know for sure.

The worst part about this creature was...that it could regenerate.  
  
The creature moved at great speed towards Batman and he had enough time to block the force from the creature. The hits were hard and his metal Batsuit couldn't handle the force anymore. He had to escape. The creature had the upper hand and it was going to end him, no matter how high-tech and battle-ready Batman's armour was, it was about to break in two. But he couldn't leave that piece behind. It might be important, or maybe not.

Batman used his explosive gas to stun the creature. He quickly took out his metal blades from his back and cut the creature's knees. Slicing them open, forcing the creature to hit the ground. The creature shouted out loudly in pain as the dark knight ran towards the metal piece. He, finally, got it in his hands. He quickly places it away into his armour slots and just as quickly punched the numbers to open a portal in front of him. The creature's healing factor started to repair the wounds.

Once the portal was open, Batman felt a harsh strike to his back and shot him through the portal's entrance. The dark knight's vision was hazy and the air in his lungs was knocked out of him. Tossing and turning through the wormhole, he only saw a glimpse of the creature trying to follow him through the portal. Batman slammed the button on his arm to close the entrance onto the creature. Slicing it into small pieces, its last part of the creature slowly floating away inside the wormhole.  
  
Batman felt a migraine coming on as his vision started to blur. His sight slowly fading, as he tried to take back the control from the dizzy motion the creature had caused him. He pressed the button on his chest for the maneuver air control setting to open, but that part of the armour was damaged. He was in the mercy of vacuum of space within the wormhole. The dark knight only had enough waking time to notice that he had broken through the wormhole's wall to something dark, navy blue gas like space.

Batman was in danger and he couldn't do anything about it. Even worse, he was losing consciousness as he was slipping away into the darkness...

 

Waking up with a painful startle, Batman felt his whole body ached everywhere. He groaned from a painful headache that was still lingering from the wormhole. He touched his forehead and looked up at the gray, cloudy, miserable sky above him. He still feels exhausted. He didn't want to move and didn't want to think. He took this moment just to pause from everything around him before facing it.

' _Pain..._ ' He thought, ' _I guess_ _I’m_ _alive_.'

The dark knight touched the buttons on his suit to see which part was still fictional and what took damage. The machine part of his armour did take a great toll, but some of it was still functional. He turned onto his side slowly to get a glimpse of the world he was in. At first, Batman couldn't recognize the place, or even the time period, or dimension. Everything looked strange and alien. Yet, he could still recognize the sleeping, leafless trees around him that indicating he was still on Earth, but other plants seem far off. Even the huge bump like hills was everywhere.  
  
Standing up with great struggle from pain, Batman touched the button on the side of his metal helmet. The computer couldn't detect which part of the Multiverse he was in. It only said...

 **Earth: Unknown.  
** **Not Functional**

 

Tried as he must, he tried to advance his search, but the computer only came up with the same answer.

"What is this place?" A mist came from Batman's breathe as it disappeared into the cold air and he felt the chill surrounding his slight bearded face, as the frost reminded him that it was winter here. The dark knight slowly walked forward only to feel a sharp pain in his side. He held it tightly and kept on moving forward to the unusual.

 _' What could this world even be?_ _’_ He thought.

Everywhere he saw wasn't human architecture, but misplace with organic buildings instead. No glass, no metal, or cement anywhere, just buildings that looked to be more alive as much as the trees growing on them were. That was another strange thing. Nature was everywhere, even in the cold, dead of winter. The dry, yellow grass crunched underneath his feet, and the sleeping trees seem more like a leafless forest on top of these "buildings". He went around one of them just to see if there was an entrance, but he couldn't find one. There weren't any cement roads but misplace with something organic technology instead. Batman shivered slightly and the pure, sharp cold air pierced his lungs.

 _‘Did Poison Ivy took over this world?_ _'_ The dark knight glanced at the trees carefully, _‘_ _This must be what the world might ha_ _ve_ _become if she_ _did_ _. It only made sense._ _’_ Batman went past each of the building slowly as he takes in the strangeness of them. The most alarming thing he noticed was that he doesn't seem to find anybody. Not a single soul anywhere. Just pure silence. It only made him want to get off this planet faster than the last one. But Batman needed to restock his supplies and if he was lucky...find some parts to fixing his armour.

Batman walked onwards to the unknown and tried to find clues if this world has belong to Poison Ivy. Slowly, the first snowflake fell gently in front of him as more snow started to cover the ground. He had to find a shelter quickly somewhere from the winter cold since he was being forced to stay here for awhile. It was only his luck his portal took him to another place unprepared to survive in. He barely could survive from a dusty, hot wasteland and jumped into a cold, winter one. He felt for sure  that this planet might finish him off after all.

After roaming an hour or so, the pain was becoming too much for the dark knight to walk. He had to kneel down for a short rest and forcefully had to take one of his last anesthetics. He stabbed it through the weakest part of his armour to his skin. He hoped it will be enough to keep him going until he finds some sort of human life form or shelter. He tried to get his computer to work out a map for him, but it failed miserably. As if something around this planet was keeping any information to itself. He suddenly came across some familiar architectural buildings. The buildings of Gotham. The Gotham that he knows by heart was hidden underneath brush and light snow. Even though the buildings we're half standing, and yet, not at all in ruins. Strange. He knew where he was in the city now. His home was a further away, but he knows the closest place he could identify that he might indicate another Bruce Wayne existed in this world...

 

Gotham Cemetery.

  
  
The Gotham Cemetery looked very much the same, but there were more graves than the ones he was used too. Some had cruel, very faded graffiti on some and others looked broken or knock down. But it was pretty much the closest thing he saw made by humans other than the buildings.

As the white snow blanketed onto the cold ground, Batman walked towards his parent's gravestone and swipe away the light snow from it. He was glad it was in the same spot as it did in his old world. All the Multiverse world he went through would’ve had his parent's gravestone in different spots of the cemetery or different headstone just like this one. In this world, Wayne's gravestone was a bit different from his homeworld. It was a large, black slant marker with a huge Wayne font written above it. To each side of it was the name of his parents and the year of their births and deaths.

 _'They are still here,'_ He thought as it comfort ed him, _'Maybe I'm still here?'_

He kneeled down to remove some of the old dead flowers that seem to be company them for some time. The flowers were dry and withered from the elements and the dark knight gently removed them from his parent’s graves. There, he find a shocking discovery underneath in the middle of his parent's names ...

_**Bruce  
February 19 -October 29** _

...Was his name and a Batman symbol underneath it. Whatever this world's year was, could have explained why Gotham looked the way it does. A horrible possibility ran through Batman's mind and what might linger in the shadows of this world. He doesn't want to linger long enough to find out. His armour was on its last stand and it couldn’t take another battle if this world wanted to take a bite out of intruders.

"I'm sure, you did well, Bruce. I'm glad you finally get to see them again," he said quietly with a heavy heart. His heartache at the thought that he was on another possible nightmare planet where there was no hero to help it. Each planet his portal took him through was his worse nightmares and what had haunted him inside his bones since the day he became Batman. Once again he found himself asking the same question. _‘_ _How_ _did_ _this world become the way it_ _was_ _?_ _’_ He grimly thought, _‘_ _If only you could tell me..._ _’_

"My word, what a sick Christmas gift we gotten here!" Batman heard a familiar, rough yet high, voice from behind him and the sound of a cocking gun at the back of his head. How could he not have heard him coming from afar? But even in the face of trouble, the dark knight was glad to hear a human's voice. Someone alive, someone breathing, and someone at least human. Batman slowly looked over his shoulder, only to meet face to face with a barrel of a gun. "I'm going to admit, you look completely genuine. I bet you make the other cosplayers sooo jealous."

The dark knight’s eyes looked away from the gun’s barrel and to meet the familiar acid, green eyes.

The Joker.

Only it's not the Joker. There was something off about him. His once full acid green hair had a faint of blue tips on the ends, leaving his long, wild hair un-cared for. His eyes were covered in dark, smudge make-up as it tried to hide away the bags underneath. Joker's nice blue suit was nothing more than a sloppy mess. Whatever misery and exhaustion the clown dwell upon had completely shown through in every inch of his body. There was one thing that this Joker lacked that other joker took pride upon. The one trademark that haunted Batman through his nightmares since the day he met him.

The red twisted smile...and the laughter of madness.

But not this Joker.

This Joker didn't have the twisted smile nor the madness laughter. Instead, Joker's lips were painted blue and ran down from his face to form a frown.

A world where a sad, miserable Joker lived in.

"Stop me, if you heard this one..."The clown started, not a hint of laughter on his lip. Batman turned to his full attention to the frowning clown, "There's this idiot, with an ugly, small beard, walking around in a batsuit. Where NO ONE SHOULD BE WEARING THAT SUIT..." Joker's eyes grew with rage each word he stresses, "...And then, this bearded dimwit wanders into the graveyard towards a gravestone of the true Batman to mock him in the world of the dead! Isn't that funny? What's that? IT'S NOT, no shit!"

Batman took in all of what the Joker had said. Heck, even Joker himself was quite a miserable sight to be taken in, but then the dark knight saw in a blur of red and green hit his face and quickly snapped out of his thoughts.

"Any last words, handsome? No? Good, Nighty, Nighty," Joker pointed the gun towards Batman's forehead and he was about to squeeze the trigger until the dark knight knocked the gun straight out of the clown's hand. Where a sound of the gun went off to the side.

Joker growled and took a swing at Batman's jaw, but Batman knocked his hand away to encounter a punch on the clown's face. Joker fell back a bit but caught himself in time. It was strange not to hear that unsettling laughter coming from the Joker.No giggles. No sinister grin. Nothing. Suddenly, Joker started to backflip towards Batman like a circus act and kicked him right up his chin. That caught the dark knight off guard. He never knew a Joker could fight this way and that was usually Harley's thing. Jokers were more about fists, guns and knives.

The clown once again swung his whole body around to fully attack Batman. Batman brought up his arms to protect himself against Joker's hits. The clown swings his legs at the dark knight and was starting to move faster and faster with each hit. Batman only wished he wasn't so injured from the other world's event, which he could at least keep up with the Joker's speed. The two of them battle like it was the most normal thing for them to do. It's almost like some sort of sick comforting feeling of nostalgia. Was it that long ago his own world had been destroyed? That he started to even miss his own Joker? His evil smile and his cruel laughter roaring in the night from the pain he inflicted upon him?

In the more twisted way, Batman felt like something was missing with the sad clown than the other Jokers had. The usual yapping that the clown would go on about. The endless waltz or some sort of eternal destiny mumble jumbo. Yet, not a peep came out of the sad Joker. Not one. The man was determined to knock him down.

The pain was starting to become merciless and agonizing. Batman tried to ignore it as best he could, but his headache pounded like millions of sharp hammers inside his head and it was getting harder for him to dodge the clown's fists. He had to stop this. He had to stop the Joker. Being weak around the clown was the last thing he wanted. Batman finally took the upper hand and hit the final blow into Joker's gut. He ended the fight by placing both his hands together and knocked the clown down to the ground. Causing the clown to wheeze from the impact of the blow. The dark knight moved towards him and place a heavy metal foot down onto his back. The clown's hand gripped hard against the ground and struggle against his weight. Batman caught something red beside his hand. It was a rose petal peeking from the white snow and his eyes followed the petals towards a ruin bouquet next to another grave.

‘ _Is that what Joker threw at_ _me_ _?_ _’_ Confused, Batman eyes widen and looked back down at the clown, _‘_ _Was...was he...here to grieve?_ _’_

"Ha...Haha..."

It started out very softly before Joker's laughter became louder and louder, "HAHAHA hahahaha HAHA!" It echoed throughout the cemetery and breaking the eerie silences that surrounded them. He never imagined he could feel pleasant feeling towards the laughter that haunted him since the dawn of time. Instead, he rather preferred that than the deathlike silences. Soon as the laughter came, it also came to a stop,"You really are him, aren't you, Bats?" He turned his head slightly twisted to catch a glimpse of the dark knight towering over him. His smile twisted to ear to ear of happiness knowing that he truly was _THE_ Batman. In return, Batman couldn't help to feel somewhat comforted yet a chilled down his spine at the crazy sight beneath him.

"What happened to Gotham?" Batman commanded and pushed Joker down roughly against the ground.

"Ow!...Yup-you....ouch!....definitely...are...Bats-pest…alright!" He laughed again, but it wasn't madness laughter, but happiness. The Joker pushed himself slightly upwards to take a good glance at Batman, "I know it goes against your batty-code, whatever, but you aren't getting nothing out of me by shoving my face into the ground, hun." Batman glared tensely at the Joker. The clown only rolled his eyes knowing all too well that Batman doesn't trust him at all. Not like he could blame him, but then an idea popped into his noggin. "Will it make you feel a little better to tell you that I'm a girl-scout hero, now?" He blinked cutely at Batman.The dark knight’s eyes went wide and then crushed him more into the ground. It wasn't the answer the crusader was hoping to hear...not when the world looked like this. It doesn't look like it was saved at all,"ACK!"  
  
"Stop your lies, Joker! Where is the Justice League? Where is everybody? What happened to Gotham?" He wanted to crush the answer out of Joker.

"They're sleeping!! Everyone is sleeping, you idiot! It's night time, UNLIKE you, not everyone has insomnia!" The clown squirmed, but Batman's metal boot teased to crushed him.  
  
"Sleeping?" B atman stood still for a minute in order for the words to sink in, _'Was this some sort of sick joke meaning that they're dead?'_   He glanced at his surroundings and saw that it was close to late evening, but not fully in the darkness. Which was strange considered it was winter and the days should be shorter. Actually, he walked for hours and it felt like it was only one.

"Yes, moron, sleeping! It's normal in the night!" Joker pushed up against Batman's boot, trying to get enough air into his lungs, "Come on, Bats! This is my world, not yours! Get a grip, you idiot detective! "

As much as Batman hated to admit it, the clown was right. He was in the wrong. ".…Where are the other Batfamily?" Batman commanded, still not wanting to let the clown go.  
  
"They’re not here!" Clown growled and losing his patience, "I don't know...they’re somewhere else living their lives!"

Batman doesn’t know if he should trust anything what the clowns says, but he was left with no other choice. He was in a desperate need for some help and there was no one else beside him. _'Either way, I'm screwed. Everything is against me right now...I just pray this Joker can help me...and place his killing ways behind.'_ His took his boot off the clown's back, as he coughed and wheezed. Batman held his hand out for the clown, which the man took greatly and help him stood up. "....I'm sorry....I’m just lost."

"You think?" The clown stared at him eerily and rubbed his sore back. "Ow. I like it rough, but that's not how to get a girl excited." He dusted the snow off himself.

Curiously, Batman searched around for Harley Quinn or any of Joker's henchmen that might be hidden in the surrounding. But there was no sign of movement anywhere besides them. They were only greeted by the cold and the falling snow.

"Awww, you've ruined my roses, you big buffoon."  
  
Batman heard the rustle of the bouquet behind him and saw the clown holding the ruined roses. The clown picked out the crushed ones and fix them slightly before he went over to the Wayne's gravestone. _'There was no way Joker was paying any respect-'_

Joker kneels down to placed the roses on top of the Wayne's grave as the clown whispered something to the dead Bruce that Batman couldn't hear. It was too much for Batman to process into his mind and he thought he was having hallucination.  
  
"So, mind telling me why your wondering inside of my humble homeworld, unannounced, batportal?"T he clown’s one brow raised as he looked up and down at Batman's armour suit, "Are you travelling somewhere, by any chance?"

"...Not exactly..." Batman hesitated if he could fully trust the sad Joker, but he had no other options. He needed supplies and some sort of medical attention to heal his wounds. He was so exhausted he could fall asleep to the very spot he was standing on. And the hunger was raging within him. "...I need your help." The dark knight placed a hand on his rib, as it pain ached and thumb in the rhythm with his heart beat.  
  
Joker's eyes lilted up like someone just gave him the best Christmas gift in the world, "You are asking me for help? Awww, really? I will gladly help!" The clown check ed him out curiously, "I did notice how wimpy you fight. Your punches were quite pathetic and lame . You do look pretty shitty ...I dare say like a dog hit by a car." He places a hand on his own face to hide a joking smirk, but Batman ignore d him.  
  
Well, at least this Joker's personality remained slightly the same.

"....I just need supplies..and some medical help of some kind. Just a place for me to rest for a while."  
  
Joker shuddered against the cold and placed his arms together to keep himself warm, "Not to worry, Bats, I have everything you need. Even a nice warm, pink bubble bath, by yours truly." He purred.

Batman was a little off guard at the gentleness of the clown’s voice, "Thank you..."  
  
Joker's face softened slightly and then slowly change to annoyed, "But that didn't answer any of my question on why you came here?"

"I came here by accident," Batman tried to think of sentences that he could explain, but the pain of his migraine was preventing him to think clearly, "I got tossed by a creat-" A pale, cold finger stopped Batman's lips.  
  
"Bi, bi, bi, bi...I changed my mind. Pause that story, Bats. Maybe we should go somewhere not in the world of the dead, hm?" The clown took his finger away from Batman’s lips and started walking towards the exit of the cemetery, until he paused to peek over to a confused crusader, "I won't bite, luv. I rather be in a warmth of a comfy home and drink hot cocoa while listening to your long, gloomy, tragic story. I just don't want to end up like these party crashers." He pointed at the graves.

Batman watched as the clown disappeared over a hill. He wasn't sure but was the sad Joker...softer...than the usual Joker...? He couldn't place a finger on it. He started to follow the clown towards his high-tech blue car that had strange wheels on it.

"What? Were you expecting a Joker mobile? Pfff" Joker got inside and waited for the dark knight to pursue. Sadly, Batman couldn't get inside the blue car with his thick, metal armour. "Pffff, hahahaha! Why don't you just take the damn thing off, Geez!" Joker laughed taking pleasure in watching Batman struggle.The dark knight tried to figure out a way to get in, but gave up and started to shed the heavy metal gear off. He toss it in the back of the car seat, "There, doesn't that feel SO much better?"

It did, but Batman wasn't going to tell him that. He doesn't remember how long he was wearing that armour for. He knew he had taken it off a couple of times before, but since the last world, he rarely did. Now the dark knight could feel the full force of the intense pain running through his exhausted body. The fractured ribs thumping against his side. Sweat started to pour down on Batman's breaded cheek and he panted slightly.  
  
"Whoa Bats, You don't look so good there, darling. Will you be able to live through the drive?" Joker already knew about the dark knight’s critical condition while in their little dance together, but now looking at him. Batman was in worse shape than he thought.  
  
"I'm fine" Batman growled in pain at him.  
  
"...Same old Batman. Too "BATMAN" for pain." Joker grumbled and rolled his eyes. He turned the car on and they drove off.

The drive had been eerily quiet, as Batman kept peeking over to the sad Joker almost expected for him to say something awkward to talk about.

"Keep staring, hun, and I'm going to get pregnant with your kid." He grinned happily at Batman.  
  
There it was...

Batman only glared before he turned away towards the strange, moving, dark scenery. Nothing about this world reminded him of his old one. Every time he felt a slight bump from the wheels, the sharp pain came in. He needed his mind off the pain, he actually wanted the clown to talk about something. Anything. He'll start if he had too, "...What happen?"  
  
Joker glanced at Batman carefully before facing towards the 'road'," It burned."  
  
It caught Batman's attention and growled at Joker, "What do you mean?"  
  
Joker’s grinned twisted, "I mean it burned to the ground. Literally." He giggled. Batman didn't see any of the sick humour in this, "...My dreams were crushed when Batman died." He sighed miserably.  
  
The dark knight stared at him suspicions, "What do you mean? Isn't burning your signature?"  
  
Joker’s face fell and with angry, sadness in his eyes, "You'd think so, but no. No..." The clown paused for a minute before he continued, "You know Bats, You weren't the only one that came through the Multiverse... Something else did, too. A long time ago and it was powerful enough to kill Bats and kept the Justice tards busy. " Joker paused again as if thinking about something. Batman felt a cold chill down his spine and his veins ran cold.

It sounded all too familiar.

"You know what the insane part was?" Joker began again, "After it killed most of the goody-two-shoes. It just left without ever giving any reason as to why. Everything began to go shitwards after the death of the goody-two-shoes. All the baddies were celebrating and all of sheepy-citizen we're shitting their pants." Joker giggled a little at the thought, "Soon enough most powerful baddies in Gotham had run the streets. No one could sleep peacefully those long nights."

Batman remained silent and he felt the sickening feeling drowning in the pit of his stomach. It was difficult for him to imagined what this world went through. "And you?" he glanced back at the clown, "You must’ve had a ball."

"On the contrary," Joker's frown couldn't be anymore lower, " I was miserable. "  
  
"I don't understand?" Shocked, B atman couldn't hide the sound of disbelief in his voice, "Your Batman is dead and the world is in chaos. Isn't that everything you ever wanted?"  
  
"No..." Joker said it so quietly Batman almost missed it, "...No, No, NO, NO, NONONONO!!" He started hitting the steering wheel and the car was starting to go out of control. Batman hangs onto the dashboard for safety as he kept hearing the clown become louder, "THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED! THAT'S NOT MY DOING! NO ONE, NO ONE TOUCHES MY BAT! THAT WASN'T PART OF THE JOKE!" Joker once again took control of the driving.

The two of them sat in silence as Joker kept staring at the road with angry tears running down his pale, smudged face. Batman wasn't sure what just happen. The sad Joker does seems to be more emotional than the average, insane clown. Those are real tears on a miserable Joker.

"...Darlin, Listen." Joker started after a while as he wiped his tearful face, "When I wanted to burn Gotham down, I wanted to do it while you're still alive and you get to see it with me doing the burning and the chaos. " Batman wasn't sure how to feel about that, "Just because I kept saying and acting like I wanted to kill you, it doesn't mean I meant it." Batman wasn't sure what to say with that either.

"When does you being a hero come in?"  
  
"Hey, You interrupted _'my'_ story. Did I tell you I finished my story? No? Then shut up." Joker glared at Batman, and cleared his throat, "As for me, I was the only bady that grieved and cried for weeks on end for Batman. With no Batman around, there was no more laughter. The very thing that made me happy was _**ripped**_ out of my hands. When I watched every baddie having a stupid great time. I snapped. I decided I wanted everyone to feel my _**misery**_ and I wanted everyone to wish they still had Batman around to stop me from what I'd did to them. "  
  
Batman doesn't know to either feel touched or horrified of how much this world’s Batman means to the sad clown.  
  
"I went out and I hunted everyone!” He said happily, “Instead of my usual trademark of smiling corpses, I place a sad one instead. I told the world, on TV and internet broadcast, about how sick I am of their shit. " _If anyone else was sick of all of this, they should fight for themselves_ ," I told them, "N _ot much to do in Hell when you're close to death anyway!_ " Then the sissy bastards decided to dress-up like you or me and went outside to start fighting back for Gotham.” Joker looked very proud of himself, “Get this, even the piggies we're starting to do a better job trying to get everything under control.” He winked, “Soon enough, the sheepies and I took back Gotham. Even other Badies were changing their ways too. And everything was fixed up thanks to Ivy and the rest of them."

"That's where you remain a hero, then?" Batman hoped silently. To him, it's hard to believe, but after what he saw so far of his surroundings. It might not be so far-fetched, but on the other hand, it does sound rather suspicious. At the moment, his thoughts were completely shadowed by raging pain of a migraine.   
  
The clown smiled lovingly at Batman, " That's when I remained a goody girl-scout...The end."

The two of them stared at each other for a bit, as Batman had mixed feelings about the whole ordeal, while Joker had to look back at the road.

Batman always wondered if Gotham could survive without him after he was gone, but he never came across a world where the villains actually turned into heroes and brought balance to the world again. It was a nice change to finally hear the good side. Maybe he was finally in the right side of the Multiverse.

Joker took a turn into the familiar scenery, "Oh, and one more thing, you smell like a decomposing corpse in the hot motel room. You might need a shower first, my sweet."

 _‘Shower…’_ Batman stared blankly at the scenery. Having a warm shower sounded like heaven to the cape crusader. He had to admit, having blood, dirt and sweat stuck onto the leather armour was disgusting experiences and what he could be souping up underneath he shuddered at the thought. To think, once upon a time, he used to be a clean, millionaire playboy. But now...

Batman's vision was slowly fading away as he no longer realized he was losing consciousness. He could hear the clown's voice in the background, but the sleep was more welcoming than the pain.

It has been a very strange day.

 


	2. The Wayne Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited a lot more details in chapter 2.

A hard slap to the face woke Batman up with the startle. With it, the harsh merciless pain shocked through his body. Just what he needed...more pain to add to his growing collection of misery.

"Wakey, Wakey, sun is breaking." A familiar voice came from above him. Irritated, groggy, and in agony, Batman glared up at the pale man that stared down at him from the open door of the car. It seemed they came to a stop awhile go in front of a large, stone building. It was dark out and his migraine wasn't making things easy for him to focus on his surrounding.

"For a second there, I thought I lost you, Bats." The clown was trying to remove the dark knight from his car, "Here, I was thinking of chopping you up into tiny pieces just for me to be able to carry you. Now get up!"

Batman only sighed tiredly, as he leaned his head back to the seat and closed his eyes for a second. Deep down, he really hoped it was all a twisted dream, but he always woke up in a miserable, disappointing reality that sinks in like a sharp blade to his heart.

"Come on, luv. I really mean it when I said I can't carry you!" The clown pleaded."You have to help me out here!"

Batman took all of his strength to get out of the car and for Joker to wrap his arm around the dark knight's shoulder. He winced when he felt the discomfort from his ribs, but he didn't push the clown's helping gesture away. Joker hesitated when Batman leaned against him and he wasn't prepared to feel just how slim the masked man was, but he pushed the thought aside.

"There. Now let's go inside! It's freezing!" The clown started to drag the masked crusader up against some stairs towards the Gothic, wooden twin doors.

Curiously, Batman’s focused became a bit clearer when he glanced up at the building. At first, he didn't understand why Joker would take him into a huge, Gothic castle with a large forested backyard. It wasn't Joker's style, and Batman was more expecting an abandoned warehouse or amusement park, but then realization washed over him...

  
The Wayne Manor.

  
"Is this..." Batman started a bit too shocked for words.

"Yup! My home!" Joker lead the dark knight inside the manor, "I'll show you a grand, magnificent tour later! BUT...we got to get you all cleaned up first! Otherwise, you’ll kill the spirits that linger here." He sneaker.

Inside the foyer, Batman couldn't hear a living soul inside of any of the rooms close by and the deafening silence was the only thing that welcomed them. Judging by the thick, white dust on the floor, stair rails, and the haunted atmosphere, no one had been living here for many years. The only living things here were the spiders that covered the corners and ceilings with cobwebs. The smell of old moss lay thick in the air and the cold was no better in here than it was outside. He felt no warmth going anywhere inside this building. The manor had been neglected for who knows how long.  
And yet, the Joker called the manor his home…

"Don't mind the dust, Batsy," The clown seem to read Batman's silence, "I usually don't come this way when I don't have too." They climbed up a bit more stairs into a grand hall, "Usually, I just slip in the back door. Too much work walking through here."

As soon as Batman and Joker walk into the grand hall, the dark knight was taken aback. Unlike the graveyard, the Wayne Manor was completely different than his own mansion back in his old world. Already catching Batman’s eyes was the massive size of the room and the dark, haunted atmosphere lingering in the air. The dark wooden beam curve like a barrel shape ceiling that melts downwards to the walls. It was filled with paintings and photographs of Batman, Wayne’s family, and the Batfamily. To each side were two Brazilian cherry wooden staircases split in the middle and away from the twin wooden doors that rested in between. A dusty, faded Persian carpet lay across on the mosaic flooring towards the middle. Both sides of the carpet were glass display cases covered in white, mold drapes hiding what was underneath. Grandfather clocks rested on the walls or in the corners, ticking away gently in the offbeat of time. On the left, some of the drapes fell halfway off the display cases leaving it to expose some of its secrets inside.

Was the Wayne Manor turned into a museum a long time ago?

Walking past some the exposes display, Batman spotted something shocking about the photographs inside and immediately halted. Forcing the Joker to stop with him, as he glanced over to where the masked man stared.

A group photo of the Batfamily.

In disbelief, Batman pushed the drape further aside to show more of the display underneath. Inside the case were two group photographs and different colour utility belts laying side by side. The one group photo had the team wearing their suits on. Recognizing himself first, the older version of Batman standing in the middle of two young men. One of them he was familiar with was his eldest son Dick Grayson as Nightwing, but he couldn’t recognize the second oldest male who wore a Red hood shaped helmet. He held guns proudly in his gloved hands. Next to him was Red Robin; Tim Drake that he knew from other worlds that he travelled into, but the last two teenage boys had him puzzled. One was a teenage African American in a yellow suit armor and the youngest Robin with a vicious scowl rested on his lip. Alfred stood at the end of the photo with Batgirl in front of him. Next to that photograph was another group picture, but this time they were dressed normally for that time period but were placed in different position. Everyone smiled except for Bruce, the youngest child, and Alfred. The inscription written inside said the following names: Bruce Wayne (Batman), Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson (Nightwing), Jason Todd (Red Hood), Tim Drake (Red Robin), Duke Thomas (The Signal) Damian Wayne (Robin) and Barbara Gordon (Batgirl).

Batman narrowed his eyes, "Bruce has a son?" he whispered to himself.

"But of course, Bruce has a brat!" replied a surprised Joker besides him. The clown alarmed Batman back to reality, "Don't you? I mean that's what playboys does, right? Sleep around. Knocking some cunt up. Had a snot-nosed brat." There was a hint of annoyance and mundane in his voice.

Batman had forgotten about the clown, who was inches away from his face. He didn't mean to slip up in such a way. Especially when he doesn't trust the sad Joker...or any Joker for that matter. Hero, or not. Even now, Batman could tell that the clown was studying him thoroughly with those piercing green eyes of his. What was he looking for within Batman? But then a thought hit him...

Joker wanted him to see how he’ll react. To see who he was as a 'Batman'.

And it worked, he got something out of him. He knew these photographs by heart and how it could affect someone like 'Batman' when he sees them. The dark knight gave himself away by not having a son named Damian Wayne. Damian was something of a rare soul in the ocean of the Multiverse, and he only began to make small ripples across the different Earths. But Batman guesses Damian wasn’t the only factor since Duke was another rare one to come.

What was Joker scheming about? Why does he want to know?

"Darlin?" The clown stared at Batman.

"Let's keep going..." Batman managed a growl out his pain. This time, he'll be more careful when dealing with the Joker. For now, he needed to concentrate on his pain and his walking.

They walked up the stairs slowly and finally towards the master bedroom. When Joker pushed the closed door open, Batman had to pause at the sight in front of him. This must have been the older Bruce's room once upon a time, but now it was infested with Joker's things. The room was covered in colorful posters of the circus, sad faces, graffiti, and jesters. His trademark card was hanging up on the wall, and there was clothing, toys, cards, comics, and junk all over the place. An old, flat TV hung on the wall in front of the bed, and a thin, old laptop sits on top of the dresser. His king size bed was untidy as if a wild animal rolled around in it. It was disgusting. The only good thing about this room was the warmth he felt against his face.

"Don't mind the mess!" The clown started to pick up stuff and tossed it to the other side of the room, as he made a path to the bathroom door, "I wasn't expecting company, as you can see!"

Batman stood slack-jawed at the mess before him. It was the first time he actually got to see how a Joker lives. Not even his own Joker had he ever seen his living conditions. It was rare and very personal.

"I'll be right back, just need to clean something." He ran to the master bathroom and slammed the door behind him. The sounds of things shuffling, banging and cupboards opening and slamming could be heard through the walls.

Batman slipped his cowl off his head and his long, greasy, raven hair fall to each side of his face. He could feel the sweat dripping down from his forehead to his bearded cheeks. It felt so satisfying to have the cowl off. He had it on for so long, he swears his face could mold in to it. And it doesn't matter if the clown saw his face since it wasn't a secret anymore. Especially, if the clown lived in the Wayne Manor that turned into a Batman museum. It would be pointless to keep hiding his identity from him.

He paused and thought back to the grand hall. Joker had been living in the Wayne Manor for who knows how long and he been surrounding himself with Batman’s relics.

Why?

Doesn’t Jokers hate Batmen? Why would he do this to himself? Don’t they all wanted to kill him ten thousand times in ten thousand different ways over and over again?

Maybe...this wasn’t a museum....but a shrine...

Bruce noticed a comic book sitting on top of the dresser next to him. It was covered with cards, junk, and nick nacks.

He pulled it out curiously and saw it was Batman comic book. A comic book about himself was quite interesting, to say the least, but with the Wayne Manor as a museum now, it wasn't too far-fetched. It had Batman and Catwoman kissing in the moonlight on the front cover. Bruce glared at the image as it brought back old memories. And he did notice a larger group photograph that had Selina as part of the Batfamily. He threw the comic back onto the drawer and heard the noise calmed down in the bathroom.

The door sprung open, "Okay, Batsy! The bathroom is ready!" said the excited clown. The sound of the shower running could be heard behind him, and the steam escaping through the door way. "And I'll get you some-" He paused when he saw Bruce's stolid, beard face being covered by his shoulder-length hair. The clown was shocked at the sight, "Geez, you look like a wet, stray dog begging for food..." He cringed. “Come and take a shower, luv. I have everything ready for you. Including shaving knife to get rid of that beard.”

Slowly, Bruce came carefully to the bathroom with his cowl in one arm. Joker stared with great interest at the man before him until the door was slammed into his face. Bruce heard a slight 'awww' behind the door. He sighed and was happy to get away from the prying eyes of his enemy. It truly felt like he was in some sort of freak show and it wasn’t the clown.

Once Bruce had his attention towards the bathroom, he wasn’t surprised to what he saw. What was once a fashionable, and comfortable master bathroom had been infiltrated with Joker's things. The light blue walls were covered in cracks and graffiti, filth and old splattered blood. The white, grimy cupboards were either cluttered so badly that it doesn’t shut correctly, or were just left open. A large stand-alone bathtub stood against the wall and it had a thick grim line around it. It had toys, dirty clothing and towels toss inside it. Some even had horrible blood stains on them. Which was a shame, since it had a large window looking out at the dark scenery. Bruce cringe. It wasn’t just the bathtub that had the dirty laundry, but the grey, stone floor as well. Hiding in the hard corners of the room were balls of green hair and other tiny garbage items. A large mirror and a wide, marble sink had got to be the worse of them all. The clown’s huge collection of makeup, hair gel, and other toiletries was littered all over the sink. Besides one small part where a new shaving cream and knife lay neatly on. It must be for him. The toilet...the disgusting, poor toilet...had not been clean for who knows how long. It shows by the deep crust around the line where the brown water was.

‘ _I think I’m cleaner than this...’_ He thought and stared at his surrounding, _‘I slept in a grimy room covered in blood...cleaner than this.’_ Bruce wasn’t sure if he would ever feel clean after a shower. Steam started to fog up the room, as the wide stone shower with a large glass door caught Bruce’s attention. _‘What did...Joker even cleaned in here?'_ He couldn’t tell which part of the bathroom was even cleaned since it looked like nothing had been done. He sighed and came closer to the shower _._

With great agony, Bruce had stripped most of his batsuit off and left it on the floor. The sweat, dirt, and leather had left rashes on his skin, and the dry blood cracked every time he moved. His pale skin wrinkled like a raisin for having the suit on him for far too long. He went into the shower and was greeted by the jet pressure of the warm water flowing down his bruised, scarred skin. It felt amazing and helped relax his sore muscles. He had few minutes just having the shower poured down onto him before he decided to start washing the filth off of him. To the side, was a brand new shampoo and soap waiting for him. _  
_

After a long, grueling, painful effort, he finally got himself washed, dried and shaved. He didn't have any clothing to wear, so the towel was wrapped around his waist would have to suffice. He glanced back at the mirror one last time and saw a thin, slim man with wet long hair stared back at him with exhausted blue eyes. Bruce barely recognizes himself in the mirror anymore. This wasn't the Bruce Wayne like the ones in the photos in the grand hall. No...

He looked very different...

His muscles had diminished and had big, purple bruises and scars roam everywhere on his body. Scars were souvenirs from other worlds, but the most scars he had was around his neck. Teeth marks covered every space of his throat from different kinds of jaws.

The man in the mirror was a hallow, empty soul.

Sighing, he walked out and saw a pair of grey pajamas set on the bed nicely folded. It was strange for the clown to help him out like this since it was so out of character for him to do. Being treated kindly by the clown was all sorts of strange...like this world. Just plain strange.

All dressed up, Bruce sat on the messy bed slowly and touched his aching ribs on the side. He just needed a minute or so to take everything in. It was quiet and everything felt still in this world. He wasn't sure if it was because of the winter season where everything was asleep, or something else beyond him.

A couple of minutes went by and finally, Bruce heard footsteps coming from outside the bedroom door. Joker walked in with a medical bag on his shoulder and carrying two plates of sandwiches.

"Here we-" He hesitated once again. Shocked, the clown stared at Bruce. He knew he was staring at his slim figure, the teeth marks around his neck and how oversized the pajamas were on him and not to mention how young he appeared to be, "Oh muffin, what have you done to yourself?" He sat next to Bruce and give him a sandwich.

"Thanks..." Bruce started to eat the sandwich right away and tried hard not to swallow huge chunks down. It was hard since he was starving. He swore his stomach was about to devour him sooner or later. It was amazingly delicious to taste compare to the dry army food and grubs he had eaten in the past couple of months. 

“Awww, poor little stray bat. Are you far away from your cave and lost your way in the big, bad, wild multiverses?” When Bruce didn’t answer back, Joker kept going. “Poor thing. Don’t worry, little sweety. Let Mama Joker take good care of you.” The clown pet the dark knight’s back like some sort of pet. Bruce was slightly annoyed, but he was right. He was lost within the multiverses and there was nothing he could do about it. Since the day his portal device got the virus, there was no way he could return back to Earth-48, Multiversity.

He felt the clown analyze him with great awe at Bruce's appearance, yet he didn't say anything, he just quietly stared at Bruce every inch of him. Snapping out of awe, the clown pulled out two bottles of water from the medical bag and gave one to Bruce. Bruce gladly took it and gulped down the water and almost choking on it. Another sandwich appeared in front of Bruce’s sight and glanced over to the clown.

The clown smiled tenderly at Bruce, that he wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating or not. "You can have my sandwich too, luv," He offered it to him, including the water bottle.

Surprised, Bruce was speechless, "...Are you sure?"

The clown nodded, "I can always get another one."

Bruce knew he shouldn't eat something from the Joker or any Joker, but he was too hungry and too tired to care.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Joker pulled out the painkillers from his bag and gave it to Bruce, "Shall I play nurse and help you with your wounds?" There was hope in his voice.

The dark knight shook his head,"I only have fractured ribs and some minor contusions. Nothing I can’t handle. I got away with only these wounds that aren’t too serious."

The clown raised his brow and his frown deepened, "Fractured ribs aren’t too serious, huh?"

"...Yes," Bruce took some painkillers and swallowed them down with water, "I also have a migraine."

"Hmmm." The clown doesn't sound all too pleased, but took his word for it anyway,"So, mind to tell me which tornado you fell from, Dorothy?"

Thinking, Bruce had to choose his words carefully while telling Joker about himself, but for now, a slight truth will do, "...I came here by accident from another world. I was trying to escape a huge monster through the portal, but I almost didn't make it... actually, for sure I thought I was dead inside that wormhole."

"Ooooh, are you spooky Bat-ghost now, luv?" The clown grinned and crossed his legs, "Are you haunting me forever?… Ohh! Please tell me I’m getting haunted! The very thought of you being trapped here with me forever in your misery and torment is one of my true wishes!”  
  
In his silence, Bruce ignores the clown and was deep in his own thoughts, _'Am I alive?'_ It would make sense if he was dead since the world felt more like a large purgatory than a world, "...."

"Oh, come on! Don't be so serious! Besides, you just came as a welcoming surprise to this boring, mundane, old world!" He grinned and leaned closer to Bruce’s shoulder and snapping him out of his thoughts. Bruce wasn't all too affected by the closeness. Jokers were all about being into people's spaces, just to make them feel uncomfortable or they’re a desperate need for the human touch, "Now that you're here, it's going to be loads of fun!....Unless there is somewhere you need to go back too?"

"....I'm just trying to find my way home. I've gotten lost through my travels since my devices have short-circuited. For now, I just need your help on fixing my armour." In a way, Bruce wasn't lying. He was searching for a safe place to stay until he could fix his portal device, and just in case, this Joker wasn’t what he seems to be. He wanted to make things clear that he was being expected to be returned home safely. “Then I can return home.”

"You're in luck, Batsy!" Joker grinned as he hopped up to his feet from the bed and leaned his face close to Bruce's."I got all the things you needed here to fix your little furry suit. You can also stay as long as you want!"

"...You sure?" Bruce narrowed his brows slightly. This was all sounding awfully too good to be true, "Is...is there something you want in return?"

Joker's eyes widen happily and stood up straight to think about it, "OOoh, I didn't even think about that?" He places a finger on his lip thinking all the possible things he could ask for.

"Hopefully not containing torture." Bruce immediately countered.

“Batys, how rude! When have I ever show you that I want to torture you?” The clown dramatically placed his hand over his heart. “I have something else much more fun then that. It has everything to do us part-”

“Nothing sexual.” Counter Bruce. Was this clown truly thinking about sex right now? Sure, he flirts a bit, _‘But I thought he was joking...’_

"Awww, you took out all the fun out of us!" He moped and he wasn’t joking. "Or you can always sleep here with me tonight, my sweet. We don't have to do anything, but-" He smirked and leaned closer to Bruce's face again. He could almost hear the purr from his blue lips as the clown whispered into his ear, "We can keep each other warm this winter."

Bruce knew Jokers were known famously to flirt or annoy the Batmen, but this one takes the rainbow cake with a sparkling unicorn on top. _‘Could it be...that having no Batman has bring something out of Joker that I’m not aware of? This could be rare...’_ It was going to be harder on Bruce than any monster he ever took on. For now, he was going to ignore the clown's sexual needs.

Bruce stood up from his spot and glanced over to Joker, "If you can't think of one. Then I’m going to retired for the night. Maybe, later on, we can talk more...can you lead me to the guest room?"

Joker’s lip curved down to a frown of disappointment and sigh, "Alright, alright. This way."

The clown walked out, but Bruce had to go back to the bathroom to pick up his Batsuit before following him slowly towards the guest room. It wasn’t too far from him.

"Here we are, your room." Grumpy, he opens the door widely for Bruce to go in.

Inside the room had a queen size white bed in the middle. The black and silver drawers and white sofa complement each other nicely and two colorful paintings rested against the wall. To the other side of the room was a door that leads to the private bathroom. As soon as Bruce walked inside, he felt the warmth against his skin.

Bruce turned to Joker and smiled tiredly at him, "Thank you, Joker."

The clown's frown fades and nodded, "Good-night, Brucey. Just to remind you, if you ever get scared. You can always crawl into my bed with me." He winked and shut the door quietly.

Right...  
  
Bruce walked over to the white, leather couch and set his batsuit down, but then he touched the couch and rubbed his two fingers together. Nothing. He turned to glance at the room again towards the flooring, the corners and everything else in the room. Nothing.

It was clean, yes, better than the hell mess of Joker’s bedroom, but...

Everything was clean.

Too clean.

Where were the dust and the cobwebs? The smell of old moss and the brush of cold air from the hall? Did Joker cleaned up everything in here when he was in the shower and at the same time doing sandwiches? Bruce hadn't taken that long in the shower, did he? He highly doubted that this room always looked the way it was when the rest of the manor looked neglected. _‘How can someone be so dirty, yet be so clean?’_ Baffled Bruce.

Disturbing. This world was almost disturbing as the horror world, Earth-663, he lived in. He wonders if this will be another one of those kinds of worlds.

Better not be.

For now, he had to push every suspicious thought out of his head. He had too. He needed too, if he wanted to get some sleep tonight and get off this planet. He was exhausted, but he knew himself well enough that he’ll be awake all night fearing for the clown in the other room. It was a perfect moment of a horror movie scene waiting to happen.

Bruce lied down onto the soft bed and in a half an hour or so, he sat up very slowly to not cause any of his ribs pressure. As much as he wished that it felt good against his back...it doesn't. For so long of sleeping on the hard ground, his body wasn't used to sleeping on soft beds anymore. It was going to take him a month or two for him to get used to it again. But not here. Not in this world.

He took the pillow, carpet and some thick blankets off the bed and turned the floor into his new bed. He turned off the light on the dresser and lied into his make-shift bed. He gently placed the blanket on top of himself. He sighed. Deep down, he really hoped this Joker wasn't anything like his counterparts. He was in a fragile state, both body and mind and he wasn’t ready for any surprises. He doesn't want to be woken up by being stuff into a glass container for Joker’s collections. He closed his eyes and pushed the thoughts away as best as he could.

After a while, he finally fell asleep.

  
A couple of hours later, the alarm went off inside Bruce's mind and his eyes flew awake in time to see the flash red alert projection in front of his eyes. Written words came up about his armor getting hacked into by someone. _‘Joker?’_ he thought, _‘It can’t be? No, it couldn’t be the Joker. It wasn’t his style. It can't be him...Someone with much greater hacking skills was trying to unlock information in my database from my armor,’_ but who-ever-it-was doesn't have the right technology to do so. Since that armor was a great gift from Earth-218, where Clark's people had survived their Armageddon and had now thrived on a future earth. There was no way they could get into his programs. It would be waste of time.

Damn it. He forgot his armor inside Joker's car. That was very irresponsible of him. Whoever stole his armor now would be zapped harshly as a defense mechanism and even fry their computer system. Bruce attacked the hacker right away and had the armor go into locked down mode. The alert soon disappeared and the hacker won’t be able to do anything. Even if he tried, he won't be able to restart the armor again in anyway shape or form.

But that only gave him more of a growing suspicious with the sad Joker. In the morning, he'll have to look for his armor. Wherever it may be...

  
Bruce woke up suddenly at a soft brush against his neck. He quickly catches whatever it was and opens his eyes instantly. As the blur of his waking eyes finally cleared, he saw that he was holding a creamy pale hand.

"You're alive!" The clown’s eyes caught his sight in shock. “Oh, praised the high being, he’s alive! I thought you were dead for good, Batsy. You gave me a good scare!”

Bruce glanced up at the nice dress clown and the rushed of adrenaline sweep within him. His defense mode against the Joker came quickly, but he calms himself down when he remembered that this sad Joker wasn’t the happy psychopath one.

The clown's appearance had improved dramatically and was quite flamboyant and feminine. His blue lip-stick was more clean and sharp. The dark violet eye-shadow wasn't so smudged. Even his hair was brushed back tidy, as it made the color of green roots flow into the blue ends. His purple suit hugs his body in the right places, but his flower was writhed and dead. But most of all, Joker's eyes appeared more fresh and alive, "You slept like the dead for two days!"

Two days...?

Bruce stood up suddenly and felt the horrible pain from his ribs come back. He cursed and held his side ribs gently.

"You dimwit, don't get up so fast." He touched Bruce's shoulder, “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

‘ _You don’t say,’_ Bruce thought, "...I slept for two days?" He growled through pain and sat up slowly. He was still groggy from the sudden awake.

"It would’ve been such a shame! Death by my wonderful kindness!" Joker grinned and wiggled his brows. “If I would’ve known that kindness could kill you, I would’ve done something special on our anniversary.” He chuckled, "But oh well. It seems like you really needed a good sleep."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" The dark knight placed his hand through his hair and rubbed his face.

"Isn't that why I'm here for?" countered Joker, "And why in the seventh layer of hell are you sleeping on the floor?" He raised his brow.

“...I'm used to sleeping on the ground...I don't come across a lot of beds in my travels."

"I see..." Joker was silent at first before he stood up, “Well, breakfast is ready. I’m sure you are starving. I made you something special for my lost pet."

Bruce was about to stand up, but he had a hard time doing so. His body ached from sleeping on the floor for so long. At least his migraine was gone, but everything else was in pain. Joker took his arm and gently helped him up, "All you had to do was ask, Batsy. It isn't too hard is it?"

"...I'm not used to help...." He paused, "No offense...especially not from someone like you, Joker."

Joker laughed loudly and grinned, "Hurry up and get dressed! The kitchen is downstairs to the right." He took the folded clothes off the bed and gave it to Bruce. This time it was black sweater and black dressing pants and with white socks, "Let's get out of here and eat!" He walked out happily.  
  
Once Bruce was done, he noticed something felt different in the Manor when he stepped foot in the hallway. He felt the warmth all around him and not a single winter cold was felt anywhere. The first thing that caught Bruce attention was how clean everything was when he went downstairs to the grand hall. There were no more cobwebs. No more dust. No more musty smell of old. Everything was clean and polish. Even the displays went back to their perfect conditions. The white drapes were gone and recovered the full display of the history of Batman at his golden prime. Even the paintings and photographs had a shine to them. It was like Bruce walked right into the grand opening of the museum.

But...

The only thing that still lingered here was the haunted atmosphere and the deathlike silent.  
  
‘ _Did Joker cleaned the Wayne Manor by himself...within two days? That couldn't be right.’_ Apprehensive, Bruce slowly walked down the stairs checking every corner of the grand hall. _‘There was no way one person could accomplish a huge building like this within two days all by themselves.’_

With his own mansion alone, he had to pay a couple of employers to keep his home functional. Never mind one person and Joker cleaning! As far as he known, he hasn't seen or heard any of the employees walking around yet. If he hadn’t seen what he has seen before when he first arrived here, he won't be able to have known this building was neglected.

Uneasy with this whole ordeal, he found the kitchen that the Joker described and stopped near the doorway. He saw the clown preparing breakfast on the marble white countertop.

"Did…did you clean all of this within two days?" Bruce slowly came in and glanced around the huge kitchen.

It was very welcoming country feel to it. The floor was polished dark stones and cupboards were dark brown ebony. The arch of the grimy white ceiling had lights and pot holders hanging down above it with wooden beams going across. The glass door and large windows show off a stunning view that leads to an outside balcony overlooking the forest. The island had the same theme as the countertops and stood in the middle with high stool chairs next to it. The stainless steel, gas stove had an arch backdrop of a beautiful pattern stone above it. Over to the side near a great window was a private family table. Against the far wall was the finest china display in a glass cupboard.

"But of course. I want everything special for my guest," A twisted grin rise from the clown’s lips and placed two plates of breakfast on the island, "I was pretty bored waiting for you to wake up."

"...That's impossible. You cleaned this whole building by yourself?" He went closer to the island, "Do you even have a staff here?

The clown stopped for few seconds and turned around to glance at Bruce. His face seemed calm, but there was no smile, "...You really want to know?" Bruce already knew the clown was going to say something rather stupid. "Skills! I know, my skills are nothing more than amazing!" He spins around on his high stool until he stopped himself and places both hands together for his chin to rest on, "Are you going to keep playing detective, Bats, or are we going to eat our warm breakfast? Made with love by the way."

Bruce hesitated and glanced over at the two dishes on the island. The two plates had delicious two sunny-up eggs, bacon and three sausages, hash browns, cut up cheese and tomato and two toast. Two cups of coffee and water for the both of them. The aroma coming off it doesn’t make it any easier on his empty stomach. Baffled and awe, he raised an eyebrow at the clown, "......You cooked this?" He didn't know the Joker could cook.

"It's not poison if that's what your thinking of. And yes, by the way, I did." He got himself his fork and knife, "Stop being a worry wart and have some breakfast, unless...you rather have me on your plate, I'm all for it." He leered.

Not amused whatsoever, Bruce set on the stool and completely ignore the clown's flirting. Why did he even think that he’ll get any straight answer from the Joker? He wasn't sure. He couldn’t even answer a simple cleaning question.

Bruce took a deep breath to calm himself down and felt the inner walls of his stomach rumbled. The two days had left him starving and he couldn’t wait to dig into his breakfast. But he felt he was dehydrated and took the cool glass of water and swallow the liquid down. The feeling the clown’s piercing eyes were on him and Bruce quickly caught his sight, "What?"

"Just can't get used to your whole...look." Joker places a bacon into his mouth, "You ‘seriously’ need to be fattened up, Batys. Any thinner, and I’m going to look obese in compare!" He laughed to himself.

The dark knight shook his head and sigh. Reaching for his warm cup of coffee, the bitter taste had run down his tongue and warming his throat along the way. It brought back memories of his time when he was doing research in front of the computer and relaxing with his coffee. The sound of rumbling soon return and forced Bruce to go back to his plate. He had to admit, the breakfast looked amazing and he really should be cautious of any poison that the Joker might place in, but the only clue he had to go on was that he was still alive and that Joker doesn’t want to lose another Batman. He had to take the chance.

Either way, Bruce jumped into his breakfast. It had been a long time since he sat down and ate with someone. Though Joker was never an idea company for anyone, it wasn’t the first time Bruce ate with a Joker. But he was just as contain to eat with someone again. _‘...I’m just glad we’re not killing each other...’_ He sighed gently.

"Brucey?"

Halfway finishing his breakfast, Bruce glanced up at the clown curiously. The clown's eyes seem to never want to leave him. Ever."Yes?"

"Those teeth marks on your neck..." He pointed his fork towards Bruce's throat, which carried different sizes of teeth marks, "I don’t think it’s from giant mosquitoes with teeth, does it?"

Bruce caresses his own neck and felt the scar tissue rooted in his skin. Memories flooded back in the man's mind, "...They’re gifts."

"Gifts?" Cocking his head to the side, "Leaving teeth marks on your throat is a gift?"

Only a slight snort came from Bruce's nose, "...I don't get it either...tell you the truth."

They both sat quietly in each other company, but Bruce decided it was a good enough time to finish his breakfast before Joker could ask any more questions. But as it turned out, Joker wanted the same thing.  
  
"I was meaning to ask you,” Bruce placed his fork down onto his empty plate and took his coffee to his lips. He could tell that the clown was waiting for him to finish, "...Can I start fixing my armour...by using some of the things in the Batcave?"

Joker's eyes widen as if he just realize that he, indeed, does have a Batcave. He grinned happily, "...Of course, darling. I even moved your armor in the Batcave."

At least, Bruce doesn't have to go looking for his armor. Joker must have given up on trying to hack into it. Lucky for him. He still highly doubts that it was Joker trying to hack into it, but he'll figure that out eventually.

After finishing with their breakfast, Joker led Bruce through the library into the study room. It was a large Victorian room with the same eerie atmosphere and the lingering smell of damp ashes. It was as if the walls could whisper stories of the Wayne’s family history from centuries ago. The wooden shelves were covered in hundreds of classical books of all shapes and sizes. Old paintings of knights and mistresses hung high on the walls forever frozen in time. To his right was cast iron fireplace engrave with plants etched into its metal, but it held no fire, just powder ashes. It hadn’t been lit in years since the forgotten firewood sat in a large basket covered in old webs. A large, vintage couch and a single chair sat in front of it. On top of the mantle set a statue torso of a man and matching ceramic vase mirror on both sides.

In front of Bruce, a large, agar wooden desk stood in front of large windows that overlooked the winter scenery. Two vintage chairs facing the desk waited patiently for a company to sit on its soft cushions. The flooring was pretty much the same as the grand halls and the antique lamps sitting on top of tables or hanging from the white ceiling. In the corner next to the desk were an old globe and a strong sound of ticking from the father clock behind him.

"Here we are!" Joker ran over to the open entrance, "To the Batcave!" The clown went down the elevator leaving Bruce behind. The dark knight sighed and he made his way down the stairs that were next to it, but when he reached to the bottom.

He was overwhelmed by the massiveness of the cave before him in mid-step. A cold chill wrapped around the dark knight as he went further into the dingy, dim cavity. Dripping stalactites hang in different shapes everywhere and the rigid stones were scared from the builders long ago. Bits of his warm, foggy breath could be seen in the damp air and the darkness was cut by beams of light from the heavy spotlights above. The layers of metal platforms were built into the bed rock’s walls, as the platforms would snake into tunnels and disappeared into rooms. In the middle of the cave was a huge rise platform with a computer system that took most of the space. It had different shape screens and another for the touchscreen keyboard. Bruce couldn’t help but wander towards it like a moth to the flame.

“Look at you...” He whispered in awe, as he stared at the many computer screens before him. It was a masterpiece of an equipment and it puts his old computer to shame. Different emotions storm inside him and nostalgic form into memories that flashed before his eyes. It had been so long since he was near one intact. The other multiverse Batcaves were usually in ruins, or collapse long ago in the depths of abyss. But to see a Batcave in mid condition was a different story. Judging by the dust on the keyboard and the leather chair, it was left abandoned for who knows how long. Just like the Manor.

The dark knight noticed a distant sound of the running water faintly moving down below. He walked over to the edge of the platform and looked down into the dark abyss. It seems endless, but he knew it might just be a couple of feet down. “...How has this cave not collapse yet?” he wondered.

“Batsy!” A faint voice of the Joker could be heard echoing in the lower part of the platforms. Bruce searched around to find a way to get down there and spot a couple of stairs the lead him to the lower layers. The first thing that caught Bruce’s eyes was a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a huge Lincoln penny. He was shocked, to say the least, but he wasn’t expecting to see these objects again. When he first encounters with these two in the cave, he thought it was just his other self’s weird taste. He never questions about it, until more multiverse Batcaves had these same two objects. _‘Useless security systems’_ The Rex should be a protected guard dog for the batcave, but it rendered useless since it did more harm desroying the batcave than protecting it. Most Batmen just had it shut down and leave it as artefact display. _  
_

"Brucey! Come here!" Joker yelled over to an open space where the collection of villains were held, "I want to show you something! It's the best part of the whole cave!" Bruce followed Joker’s voice and was taken back at the immense collections display. Each villain had their own shelves and items display in glass containers, unlike the ones in the grand hall, these felt more like a personal collection. Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and others kept catching his sight. “Don’t bother looking at those losers stuff! You should be mystified with my greatness!” The clown pointed towards his part of his collection.  
  
It was indeed Joker's little corner with a huge Jester card hanging above it. The red hood helmet and the display case show all his gadgets that the clown used against the Batman. Even the purple suit display that he used to wore when he was still grin-happy Joker. There were even newspaper articles and reports all framed in the back shelf about the clown’s endless murders and explosive events. All this remind him of his own Joker and the scheme he would pull over him. Pushing aside his memories, Bruce came close to the articles and inspected them carefully, "...The killing was never enough for you, Jokers."

"Of course! I wanted the stage to be better than the last one!" The clown couldn't sound anymore prouder with the massive killing he had done. He couldn't imagine how much of a pest the clown prince was for the older Bruce.

But something wasn't right. Something felt different and off.

As Bruce analyses the photos more, it was clear to him that none of these Jokers were the same. Sure, the insane grin, the slick green hair, high cheekbones and the murderous sparkle in his eye were the same, but their face structures were completely wrong. The nose, the jaw, his brows and even his ears were all different. All of these Jokers were different.

There were three different Jokers.

Not one of them even looked remotely like the Sad Joker either. He was nowhere in sight in any of these photos.

‘ _How can this be?’_ None of the clues were adding up for him, _'Why are there three Jokers in one world? Isn't one enough? Where is the sad Joker?'_ A memory clicked back inside Bruce’s mind. Long ago, he came upon a report called the Dooms Day clock. It was a confusing report, but there were three Jokers in one pacific world. _‘Wait…’_ Bruce felt his lugs tighten and his breathing shorten. He could hear his own heart thumping in between his ears, _'...Could this place even be?'_ Baffle, Bruce took a step back and returned his sight on the collection again, _‘... The Original...?'_ The original universe was kept in secret and no one truly knows where it was now, but could he had stumble upon it accidentally?

Did he find it...in this state?

No...

‘ _No, this couldn't be the original world...’_ Bruce thought. _‘Nothing was adding up. Nothing about this world was adding up at all...The original world has to be always constantly moving and alive. It was the heart beating for most of the multiverse. The two worlds that give birth to other worlds.’_

This world...doesn't seem to be alive or in a constant state of movement, or progression.

It just seems frozen...in time.

With a sudden chill down Bruce's spine, he could feel those piercing eyes devour him from behind. For a second, he forgot he was in the present of the mysterious Joker. _‘Damn it.’_ He was far too used to being on his own for a long period of time, that Bruce's inner emotions clearly shown through onto his facial expression.

"Are you alright, luv?" The clown's voice almost didn't sound like himself. It almost slightly changes in the beginning before going back to normal again. Somehow, Bruce couldn't get rid of unsettling feeling around the sad Joker. There was more to him than what meets the eye.

"...I-" Bruce turned around in time to see a small glimpse of the serious, miserable, frowning, insane clown with eyes like blades into him, but it faded away quickly once Bruce had his full attention onto him. Deadpan, the dark knight pretended he hadn’t seen that dark image, "I couldn't believe all of this event happen in a short span of the other, older Bruce lifetime."

"Is that right?" The clown was slightly surprised and he went closer to get Bruce’s full attention,"You mean to tell me you didn't even go through any of this fun event?"

The dark knight wasn’t sure what he got himself into. A world that seems to carry original traces, yet seemed frozen, and with a clown that claims to be someone he wasn’t. This was different from any of Bruce’s travels he went into. The multiverses had its strange worlds, such as synchronous rotation of Earths, water worlds, living on Mars, and where Earths never form, but this world seems diverse. For now, he had no choice, but to play along. "...Not all of it...let's say, I was cut short before I was tossed into the multiverse."

"Awww, you poor wretched thing..." The clown placed his other hand onto his own heart, as his face showed some great concern, "...You never got to see any of the fine craftsmanship of what your creative Joker had done?"

Bruce wasn’t sure what the clown meant, but he stayed quiet and averted his eyes to the ground, "..."

The clown took Bruce's silent as great sadness and gave him a gentle, loving hug. Bruce was taken aback at the heartfelt gesture from the madman. He wasn't sure what to do with him.

"Don't worry..." He heard the clown whisper close into his ear, "You can always make your home here...with me..."


	3. Eye on You

Could it be a lie?

It had to be a lie...

What Joker had told him in the car...had to be _‘all’_ a lie.

Now that Bruce thought about it, the grand hall doesn't have any articles or photographic evidence pointing out to the events that happen in this world, nor the death of the Justice League. The paparazzi and the reporters would have been all over that news like flies on shit. Another strange thing was if Joker was so proud of the events here...why hasn't there been information about his heroism in the grand hall? He was just as important to history as Batman himself. Maybe, there might be historical articles somewhere in the Manor that he has yet to explore in.

But these events weren’t made by the sad Joker.

‘ _So...who is he then?’_ Bruce thought. _‘Was this Joker the same as me? Was he trapped in this world by accident or something else completely?'_

A little dismayed of the image of the twisted, miserable Joker was printed into Bruce's memories. Even if it was a slight glimpse. In that short second, he would've sworn he saw the madness that wasn't like any kind of Joker. What had been going through the clown's mind when he watched him like that?

Bruce's mind kept spinning until he was snapped out of it when he felt his rib ache from the pressure of the clown snuggling against him. He shows no signs of pulling away anytime soon. The hug was very compassionate and his scent of the green apples surrounded the dark knight's senses. The warmth felt comforting and the huge grin on the clown's face was so bliss. It was hard for Bruce to believe that this madman made such face before. He patted him on the shoulder to indicate for him that he had enough, "...Thank you? I'll keep that in mind."

"Wonderful! That's what I like to hear, Bats!" Joker pulled away gently to gaze up at Bruce's eyes. "Enough of the heartfelt sissy stuff. You wanted to fix your armour, don't you?" He pats the crusader's shoulder hard and he went ahead to the room at the far end of the cave. "Aren't cha comin?"

For now, Bruce pushed his suspicious thoughts aside and follow the clown. The room they entered was massive and it holds thousands of batsuits of all different colours and shapes in glass cases. Beams of light shined down on the well-kept suits. Some suits were far from impairment and had to be framed into the wall, but not all of these bat-suits were in good condition. Some had ghastly rips in different places, old blood stains depending on the wound, and residue of the blast from the bombs. Each of these batsuits had a story to tell of what kinda night they had.

 _'...This is maddening,'_ Bruce thought, as his sight jump to batsuit to batsuit, _'_ _ _...He must've gone through them daily...'__

"Finally in your natural habitat, I dare say, Batys?” The clown brought Bruce’s attention over to him. “Doesn't it bring back good old times of the fun we had!” He placed a hand over his mouth in an _oops_ gesture. “Oh my...that's right! That wasn't ‘ _you’_ , now is it? Sorry Batsy, it’s hard to break old habits." He shrugs playfully.

Grave, Bruce watched the clown carefully, as he walked towards one of the batsuit inside the cases. It was unbelievable how similar this young Joker acts like any other Jokers. He sounds like a Joker, he acts like a Joker, the way his eyes had the mischievous shine to them. There was no question that he could be a real Joker. _‘But the question is if he’s from this world or not?’_ He thought, _‘Maybe the son of the Joker or copycat Joker?’_ Bruce won’t be surprised with either one of them. Anything could be possible for this sad Joker.

"Now, now. Don't be like that." The clown glimpse over to Bruce, as he went around the display case and quickly peak from behind it. "I'm sure we can make a different kind of memories for ourselves. I'm not picky." A wolfish grin came across his lips. "But I am craving for more....shall we say _._..intimacy?”

The dark knight pulled his gaze away from him and went to the nearest batsuit. It was a black and navy-blue suit with a yellow utility belt around the waist. But Bruce had to peak back at the clown again. _‘What is with the flirting?’_ Bruce asked himself. After that hug he gave him, the dark knight knew it was something different. It was nothing like a harmless joke or tease a Joker usually makes, but something more passionate. The way the clown stared at him wasn’t murderous...but some sort of dark, impressed hunger. He thought back to question he asked himself before. _‘Was the loneliness so devastating for him that he would be willing to take a Batmen into bed?’_ The dark knight had a hard time believing it. _‘...In other multiverse reports, Jokers usually lost the will to do crime when a Batman disappears...or...gone sane...'_

Has there ever been a moment, in the multiverse time, that a Joker would throw away his madness just for one night with the cape crusader again?

‘ _Ridiculous’_ The dark knight sharply glance back at the suit and thought back at the topic in mind with the batsuits. He couldn't imagine how the older Bruce had to put a lot of thought into them. How many failed, tryouts, and broken suit, he had to make in order to get through the night's deed. How many times he needed to upgrade each technology device inside the batsuit and armour through the changing years. There were even different kinds of armour separated from the batsuit. It was quite the impressive, stunning collection.

"Ah, see this one, "A soft and pleasant sound of the clown's voice almost sound too human for a Joker to speak. There was bliss in the clown's eyes as he stared at a black and gray leather batsuit, "This was the suit that Bats and I first met. It was quite magical really, as I could still see him trying to reach out for my hand while I falling into the chemicals. OOOooh! The way those eyes had looked..." He chuckled gently and petted the smooth glass surface with his fingers, "....of complete failure to save me. That's when I knew...he and I was meant to be. Even when I was free falling and he jumps after me...I knew..."

Bruce only tense his jaw, but stay quiet and still.

"I'm sure you felt that same connection with your Joker. Hmm?" He purred and giggle mischievously.

Bruce took this moment to really study the clown. The way he acted around Bruce was strangely confusing and he plays with the thought to find a ‘ _Batman’_ within him. But Bruce wasn’t sure what kind of ‘ _Batman’_ he wanted. His own Batman or someone similar? He couldn’t understand the game Joker was playing at. ‘ _Is he trying to get some sort of reaction or answers out of me?’_

Bruce, himself, was only a number in the endless ocean of billions of worlds of many ripples and copies from original universe. Someone that would be easily lost in the background and no one would’ve known the lost soul from Earth-1109.

It was the clown's turned to feel Bruce's tense stare and caught his line of sight. Bruce didn't turn away, but challenge it instead, "What? Did you finally find my beauty irresistible?"

"...I was wondering." Bruce began and went towards the clown. He studying more of his facial features to compare with the three Jokers. The clown appeared to be in his late twenties than his counterparts were. The clown's jaw and chin weren't as long as the other three Joker, and his eyes seem to be sharper and serious with thick eyelashes. His cheekbones were high, but not as sharp and his nose was long and pointed, but attractive enough that it was unique to his own face.

"Ohh, I hope it's about changing your mind about sleeping with me tonight? I've been waiting for two days for it." He chuckled and placed his two fingers to climb up Bruce's chest and flick his nose, " My giant bed can be very lonely."

Bruce brushed Joker’s hand away from him."As I was saying...why are you doing this for me?...why help me? Help a Batman?"

Dejected, the clown came closer to the dark knight and stare deeper into his eyes, "Awww, come on, Brucey. You know why! I'm bored and I care, oh so deeply, for you."

Bruce raised a brow, “You're bored?”

“Yes, Batsy, bored. Must you always repeat everything I say, especially the bad parts.” He flicked Bruce’s forehead, “Yet, you don’t repeat the one thing I want to hear.” He shook his head and looked slightly hurt. “Why must you always ignore my deepest part of my affection?”

“I heard you.” The dark knight growled."Neither one makes a lick of sense to me." He pulled away from the clown a bit."You were talking about the good old days...now that Batman is here. Shouldn't that motivate you into going back to your old ways?"

Something strikes a nerve inside Joker, as he falls silent. "I could, couldn't I? But...I have to admit, as fun as the past was, something that is dead...should stay dead."

Confused by the answer, Bruce tempted the Joker once more, "You could easily kill me...or torture me. "

Joker grabbed Bruce's face with his one hand to shut him up. He could feel the madman shaking in his every being as his hostile eyes buried into his. "You should stop saying these...dreadful things, Bruce. Those times are long past and dead." He took his hand away from Bruce's face and he went back to his grin, "Get it in your head, I'm a changed man now. The last thing I want to do is...kill the very thing I wanted with all my being."

Bruce stood frozen in his spot. "What do you mean by that?... Don't you hate me?"

The clown's eyes widen and burst out into a twisted laughter that echoed throughout the Batcave. "Hate you?... Hate you?" He laughed a few more times and held his stomach before he calmed down. He placed both his hands on Bruce's cheeks. "No, no, no, no, Brucey...Maybe your stupid, idiotic of a clown might've. But for me, I would give you the love and care that you deserve."

It was clear to Bruce that the sad Joker’s obsession with Batman ran deeper than an average multiverse clown. The way the madman’s dialect pupil bare raw emotions and how he tried to control his breathing when he speaks.

This scares Bruce.

The dark knight pulled away from the Joker's sight but harshly been pulled back to his attention again. But this time, Joker's forehead touched his. Bruce was off guard at the sudden closeness and instinctively grabbed both Joker's wrists.

"Whatever you may think, Bats. "Joker leaned closer to Bruce's body shortening the distance between them. It causes goosebumps against Bruce's skin,"Remember this, I'm not going to kill you...Whatever I may do, I swear on my own Bat-code." The clown couldn't help, but giggle slightly before he became serious again."You should just be thankful and let my kindness shower over your gloomy, miserable attitude, detective." Bruce saw the deep, aching hunger that flooded into the clown's hooded eyes. Joker doesn't say or do anything for a moment but devour the intimacy from him.

"...Just a little, tiny, bitty warning to you, darlin.” He finally said, “If you do anything that I don't like...you will be turned into one of my glamorous collections. If not, and you’ve been a good, little boy scout. Well, I might be a good, perfect girl for you." A pale finger pressed against Bruce's nose, "Boop"

Joker pulled away and Bruce remain still in his dazed state, but he finally found his voice when he realized Joker was leaving, "...Where are you going?"

"Ooooh, just gonna be doin a little bit of hero n’stuff. Need to let out...some steam. I've been ignoring my wretched job for two days." He peeked over his shoulder to Bruce and winked at him, "I had to take care of my cute, little sickly pet first before I go back to work."

".....You took care of me before your job?" Stunned Bruce.

"That surprise you? Naughty Brucey, do I have to teach you how to trust me?" Another fit of giggles came from his throat, "I really do need to go. Duty calls! The first part of the trust lesson is that you stay here in the manor and guard the fort while I'm gone. Okay?"

"...Wait-What? You are leaving me here with manor alone?"

"Oh Bats..." The clown turned to his full attention to Bruce, "If you wanted me to stay here, just beg on your hands and knees. I'll stay in no time."

"...I'm just surprised that you're leaving me here...by myself." The clown knew he might wander around to find evidence. _‘So, why is he leaving me here alone?’_

"Awww, but my home is your home. You can do whatever you want. You're a big boy, you don't need me to hold your hand." Joker turned back to the door, "I might be late for dinner. So, don't wait up for me. " He waved his hand, "Be a good little boy while I'm gone, you might get a prize!" Then he disappeared into the Batcave.

Bruce leaned against the table and rubbed his face with his hands. "What was that?" He asked himself. "Why must he be so...flirty?" He couldn't understand any of it. It was clear to Bruce that this Joker was far too affection to be categorized into other Jokers. _‘Forget it. Just one of Joker’s games.’_ He glanced over to a batsuit in the display case and glared at it, "...Okay...let's get into fixing my suit."

Wandering around the room, Bruce finally came across a case full of tools that he needed and brought them over to the table. He opens them up and saw different types of tools nicely organized. The most irritated part was none of these tools could be use on his high-tech armour.

Every Multiverse had their different scientific knowledge and engineering unique to their own. Even if the world was slightly split from the original one it would have a big impact on devices and technology depending on the certain event. It also depends on the person's career differentiating from the one they had in the original world. Same with the planet Earth which would have different kinds of material under its crust being created billions of years ago. Every world development depends on the element table of metal and energy it had.

For his armour suit, the survival Kryptonians that came to inhabit the Earth-218 had brought their engineering, technology, and machinery to further advance the human race. They carried their own unique metal called Arnok that was originally from their planet Krypton.

Which Bruce's armour was made from.

It was infuriating. He would be lucky enough to even find another planet that would carry it.

Especially when his portal devices had been short-circuiting since Earth-545. Bruce had been fighting and fixing his portal device since then. Yet still, the program would reboot itself back to the location routes into the dark multiverse. He finds out, later on, it was an advance virus that had been merged into the portal's codes. It triggers whenever he goes through the portal's gate. No matter how many times he tries to delete some of the virus, he was in the high risk of destroying his whole programming and in fear of being trapped in a dead planet forever. He remained stuck in the mercy of what the virus's controls since then. In hopes to one day come across an advanced civilization to help him fix his portal advice.

“I guess this world was better than nothing.” He told himself while rubbing his face tiredly.

The only good thing about going through those hellish-planets were the small metal pieces he kept collecting. They were the saving graces of his travels since they help him locate places he could find food, water, and equipment. He lost count how many times he was in a dying situation of need for water or shelter. Put it simply, they were like bread crumbs in a deadly maze. Without them, he knew he would long be dead by the elements and the chaos.

Bruce opens up his armour's compartment to find the metal pieces hidden inside. Surprisingly, he collected about forty-two different size of pieces so far. He took a piece out and analyze it carefully. The metal looked alien-like, cross between black metal and hard diamond. It had rough edges and it had bits of written words on it that he has never seen before. _‘The questions still remain though. What are these?’_ He doesn't know and he hopes, to any divine forces, that they are important enough to help him guide him through his way home. Placing the metal pieces back into the armour's compartment, he felt it was safer for them to be in there than him handling them out here.

Every compartment he used to hold hundreds of high cholesterol protein bars and had the necessary nutrients he needed to stable himself through the day. And as for water, all he needed was to use the purification tablets that cleaned any filthy liquids he came across. All that came from the high advance futuristic Multiverse called Earth-12. Bruce used that planet as his personal shopping mall when he needed to do a mission for Multiversity and stock up what he needed.

But now, all of his survival compartments were now completely exhausted of supplies and the only thing he had left was a small string, spoon, sharpening stone, fishing hook, and a compass. His utility belt was almost just as empty as the rest of his armour. He had nothing to defend himself from.  Not even a simple group of Bane's goons, but he only had a hand full enough to get away from this Joker.

If it couldn't get any worse, the metal on his armour had been damaged, bent and worn out from trying to survive countless wastelands for a while now. He couldn't unbend unless he remelts the metal again. There were even pieces missing or chipped.

"Shit..." Bruce leaned his head back and placed both his hands over his face again, "This doesn't look good at all."

His armour was too damaged to even go through another remote world. He was even lucky to survive the last one in the condition it was in and his armour needed to go back to Earth-218 and get the necessary fix it greatly deserves.

"...Right, " Remembering the alarm from that night ago, he needed to check on the programs from his last check-up. Since someone was trying to hack into it.

 _'Oracle, on.'_ Bruce's sight filled with the projection of computer data and programming. He was so grateful that he had an organic computer install inside his mind that connects him to the armour and his batsuit. There were too many terrifying moments in his travels where he had his batsuit take great damage or even stolen. So, he doesn't need to have his batsuit on all the time. Even getting him out of a sticky situation when he's _'Normal Bruce Wayne’_. It was highly affected when he wanted to escape into the shadows or daylight. Basically, like his old Batcave computer used to be, but much more.

But it does have its limits. If he used Oracle far too long it could cause a massive migraine and blur his vision. He could only use it for emergencies or if someone was tampering with his suits. And it wasn't capable to jump to other Multiverse, but it could only share information what the planet he was on.

Oracle connected to the armour and try to save as much data information into his memory bank. As for the hacker, he couldn't even break through the first wall. The scare was for nothing. Once Bruce collected with all the information, he had nothing to savage from the programs.

Everything else, it wasn't looking too good for Bruce. Like the information before, the damage of the controls was still broken and only a few parts of it still working. He opened the armour and saw some of the parts of the energy protons that had been smashed. He might have no choice but to abandon this armour for another one.

He sighed and let his sight wander around the other batsuits, "Maybe I can savage something off the other armours" He stood up carefully and came across the one with the most advanced armour he could find. He opens the glass case up and the smell of the leather was released into the air. Bringing the armour down, he opens it up onto the table and took a look at the wiring and the controls.

It was dead. Completely, couldn't even be turned on, dead.

"Strange..."

Digging through the suit, he saw that the device was completely fried and some of the wires were damaged. Disappointment and frustrated, Bruce place the suit back into the case and search for another one. Once he got another suit down, it had the same problem as the last one. This repeated, again and again, no matter what suit he took out.

 _'What is going on?'_ Concerned, Bruce took a peek at the oldest technology batsuit he could find. It, too, had the same fate as the others, _'None of these suits are able to ever function again. I can't savage anything from them nor fix them even if I wanted to use one of them.'_

Bruce started to feel the hopelessness of the situation he was in, where he wouldn't able to have the right equipment to be ready for those wretched worlds. Walking towards his armour, he took off the gauntlet that had the portal device. Bruce might not have a choice, but to jump to another world only using his batsuit with the gauntlet. If this world ends up to be another Earth-663 or the many dark Multiverse, he could only hope that he dies quickly and he doesn't suffer in a forever torment like the people in Earth-663.

Misery washed across the dark knight's face and stared at his gauntlet "...I wish you were here, Alfred...you always knew what to do." The sound of the dripping stalactites and the hissing of the water below the Batcave surrounded Bruce. He doesn't know what to do from here on out since there was nothing to savage or fix his amour with.

In the distant, the silence was soon broken by an echo of a giggling voice. This caught Bruce's attention immediately and place the gauntlet down on the table. He ran out of the room to catch who the voice belongs to. It couldn't be the Joker since it sounded more like a female voice.

"Harley?" He wasn't sure if it was her or not, but it was the matter of instinct that it might be her. He searched the platforms and rooms in hopes to spot any movement of the unknown voice. For a moment, he came to a stop when he couldn't find anyone in the cave. He stood very still to listen to any objects that would've been rattled by force within the silences. He even turned on his heat vision to find any warmth through the walls, but the only heat that lit up was the light fixtures. He doesn't hear or saw anything after that.

‘ _Did I just imagine it?’_ He wondered. Only the deathlike silence answered his thoughts, but then he realized something. There was no movement of any kind and no other sound than the water below.

 _'Now that I thinking about it,'_ Bruce glanced upwards towards the ceiling. Thick metal restrains held the cave’s ceiling together and kept the cave from collapsing, but that wasn't what he searching for.

There were no bats in sight.

For a winter season, the bats should be all hibernating by now. Yet, there wasn’t a colony anywhere.

‘ _Maybe the entrance was closed off for the public's safety when the museum was made?’_ He reassured himself. _‘Or maybe for health purposes since they carry a lot of diseases and had to be removed?'_ Disturbed, Bruce decided to end his search and head towards the elevator. But then he had spotted the private collection as he walked by. Curiosity held him in place before the shine of the glass cases was far too tempting to look away, "...It won't hurt..."

Bruce moves in and examining all the newspaper articles and photographs of Batman's most powerful villains. There were some minor differences compared to his own villains from his old world. Mostly their characteristic styles like Poison Ivy had seemed more human than plant-like. The Riddler appeared more Scottish, than his own angry, nerd-type Riddler. Penguin was the only one that looked pretty much the same as his, while Two-Face had a paler colour of skin than his own African-American Two-Face. But none of them were out of place. They did the same crime and wanted the same things. They had the same concept, but completely different choices and how they handle things. Bruce stared at the photo of the other Batman that was caught in the spotlight. He remembers how weird it felt when he first encounters other versions of himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey,” said an unknown male voice. It echoed in his foggy mind as he tried to get his eyes to focus. “Batman, wake up. Come on, young chum.”

Feeling someone shaking him by the shoulder, Batman's vision finally became clear. The first person he saw was another men in the batsuits looking at him. At first, he was confused why there was another man dressed as him and thought it was Dick playing around. But he soon realized there were more than just one Batman hovering over him. He sits up quickly but felt a sharp pain all over his body, butthe sight of  other Batmen was over whelming. "Wha-"

There were different versions of Batmen and a few Justice League watching over him. They were all quiet and had the same sympathetic look on their faces. It was such eerie sight and it felt like a dreadful nightmare. Batman realized he was laying on the cold marble ground and the building was in the shape of a glass dome with a night scenery.

“Where-”

“Hold still, young Batman.” Another Batman, in a black and yellow batsuit, held him up by the back of his neck. “Take it easy, now. You’re safe here...”

“Here? Where's here? What happen?" He tried to sit up again, but the other Batmen's held him in place. The pain overwhelms his whole body and the smell of iron and sweat lingered around him. Blood oozed out of wounds that he doesn't remember how he got them from.

“In the Multiversity.” An African American Superman came forward and like his own Superman. He stood with greatness and wisdom. “And we need to talk about your world...once we get the necessary treatment you need.”

Confused, Batman wasn't sure what was going on, until he spotted a woman behind everyone. She held a small hologram world with huge cracks on it and used her finger to search for something on it. The numbers above reading _Earth-1109_ and _Life Wipe Out_ was written on it. Batman's eyes widen as a flooded memories of his world devoured his mind. In the deep center of his soul, he knew that was his world she was holding. His lugs became heavy and his body became ice cold. He felt his whole being melt away into the darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

But most of all, learning that there was an original Batman that gave birth to many others like himself. He was dying to know everything about the _‘Father’_ that was hidden in the layers of the universe. Sure enough, he found tons of information about the Father of all Batmen in the Multiversity's files. Instead of finding a great being that was well talked about from heros and reports, he found the complete opposite. This _‘Father’_ was nothing more than a walking contradiction and a hypocrite. Bruce wasn't pleased by this information. Don't get him wrong, Bruce had done many mistakes and dreadful things that he needed to learn from. But to read about the original was like finding out his father was the biggest drug-lord in Gotham and try to make a better place by giving money to all charities. It was just mind-boggling.

There were moments in his research that he wanted to find the original and ask the many questions that were left unanswered, but since the Dark Days event, the two originals worlds were kept in secret.

But He doesn't understand if this world might be the original...or just a copy?

Having enough of the collection, Bruce went back to the elevator. As he went up, his thoughts started to wander off about needing some pain-killers for his aching ribs.He has forgotten to take some this morning but was distracted by the Joker.

Coming closer to the Study Room, a sudden...

 ***Bing** *****

A red alert flashed before his eyes and pinpointed three hidden cameras all watching towards the elevator. Thinking quickly, he held a blank expression for a second when the doors slide open. He recollects himself out of the elevator and enters the room. Oracle pinpointed the cameras right away inside the torso statue, above a painting at the entrance and the old globe.

 _ _'....I should've known better than the Joker wouldn't have left me unsupervised,'__ He wasn’t surprised by the turn of the event, but the question was why hasn’t it been turned on before? Trying his best to remain calm and collected as possible, he had to be extra careful not to do anything rash that might cause a seen.

Bruce proceeds walking through the library into the grand hall. Oracle detected six cameras when he walked by it. Entering the kitchen, three cameras welcomed him inside. The highest cupboard, another one in the backwash wall above the stove and the far hidden corner lighting on the ceiling. He felt like a wild caged animal being watched by tourist. He never felt so vulnerable as he did now.

He could have the Oracle blocking every camera in the manor, but.. _'That would be a dreadful idea. That will just give Oracle away.'_ The last thing Bruce wanted for Joker to know about his hidden little secret, just as much as Joker’s hidden little cameras. For now, he had no choice, but to act normal.

Opening the fridge, it was full of all sorts of food, but one stands out from the rest of them. It was sandwich wrap with spicy chicken and veggies stuff inside. It was folded within plastic wrapping on a plate with a cute pink note sticking onto it. It said;

 _**'** _ **_**Don't work too hard, sweety! Remember to eat lots!** _ ** __**~Love Joker xoxoxoxox** _ _ **_**'** _ **

Bruce's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as it turned into a glare. He almost wanted to shut the fridge door on it, but instead, he took the note away and threw it into the garbage. He felt a little annoy with the cameras on him, but he took the dish and he placed it on the island. He went to grab himself a glass of water and placed it next to his dish. Gulping the water down, he unwraps the plastic from his lunch and started sinks his teeth into it. Bruce couldn't get over how delicious everything taste compare what he had to struggle to find in the wastelands.

Bruce watched the slow beating circle around the three cameras as he stared blankly at his plate. _‘Quite odd for Joker not to activate these cameras sooner ...’_ It was strange since Oracle didn't detect any security system in the Batcave. Furthermore, who knows what the clown had planned or done while he was at the mercy of his deep sleep. Maybe the clown had just placed these cameras up while doing his ‘cleaning’. __‘Obviously, the clown was expecting for me to investigate...which he was right, but...’__ Bruce finished his wrap and placed his dishes in the sink. _ _‘__ _Oracle, can you count how many hidden cameras or security system are located within the Mayne Manor?'_

 **Written across his eyes the words;** **82 cameras. Including bedrooms, closets and bathrooms.** ****There are also sensors on each exit, windows and stairs.** **

_'I know my security system was top notch before, but 82 hidden cameras and sensors for one person? What was he paranoid for?_ ' Usually Jokers weren't so big on the hidden security system, actually, they use it for entertainment, but the sad Joker was using it as an actual security. _'What was he worried about? Aren't we supposed to be on the same page? Hero to hero?'_ Bruce placed a finger on his chin and ponder what other reasons would a ‘hero’ clown not be able to trust him with, unless- _‘It can’t be that he was hiding something...was he?’_ He shook the idea away. _‘That can’t be right. All Jokers love to give out their surprises...it has to be something else.’_

In that Instant, a flash a memory sucked the colour out of Bruce’s face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Don't worry..." He heard the clown whisper close into his ear, "You can always make your home here...with me..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The hunger, the museum, the fried batsuits and the threat of making Bruce become part of his collection had come together for one answer. _‘He wants me to stay here forever...to be his Batman...’_ He rubbed his face. _‘Once again...Joker’s obsession with Batman will be my death.’_ It looked like to Bruce, if he lingered here long enough, he'll become something sick. If he jumped now, he had a low chance of surviving an unknown planet.

Either way, he was trapped.

Frozen in the spot, his mind spinning to any possibility on how he could survive off this world, but every plan he landed on needed to take its time and patients to work out. Not to mention he needed to be fully recovered by the aching pain he felt. For now, all he could really do was wondering around the giant cage that was once Bruce Wayne's home.

‘ _Isn’t that what Joker expected of me?’_ He sighed and he imagines there were strings tugging on him like a marionette.

Nothing else to do, Bruce decided he wanted to check out the other rooms and entered back to the grand hall. Ignoring the alarms going off in his head, he spotted a long hallway that he could guess was the gallery in front of him. Heading towards it, the tall windows filled the hallway with light and a view of a snowy parking lot. He admired the view of snow that had fallen within the past two days and had buried everything underneath its soft texture. Beautiful sculpted, white statues of gods and goddess posing at the right side of the wall. Paintings of generation of the Wayne family hang neatly in between the statues. Some were familiar to Bruce, while some don't. He walked towards the huge wooden twin doors that ended the gallery. As he pushed through them, he glanced inside curiously in what it could be hidden within. It was a massive ballroom with a glossy marble flooring that reflected the whole room. The barrel-vaulted ceiling was covered in hand-painted frescoes that flow down to an arch, widen windows. Heavy golden and peach curtains flow to the floor. The golden designs gave the room a sense of Renaissance and dimension which made it truly breathtaking. The last, but not least, the antique, brass chandelier hanging in the middle of the room.

"Wow..." Not even Bruce's mansion's ballroom was this impressive. Oracle already found most of the cameras hidden in places of different spots around the ballroom.

Lining up to each side of the room was a huge glass box cases of Batman's historical events when he was on the streets of Gotham. In between, they were longer glasses cases of Batman's gadget, weapons, and other items that he had used in his battle. There even poster of different Robins everywhere in the room, even a corner dedicated to the four teens. There were pictures of Batman and the Batfamily in action and the villains had their own spot in the room dedicated to them. Unlike the private collection in the Batcave, these villains reports seem less sinister.

Already a glass case caught Bruce's attention immediately and went straight towards it. A huge memorial for Thomas and Martha Wayne stood. It was covered in fake roses and articles of how and where they had their lives been taken place. Bruce felt a little insulted that his parents displayed in such a way, but he had to remind himself that these weren't his parents. Reading the historical stand, Bruce already knew where this story event was about. The multiverse would have a strange way of repeating itself, like infant Clark landing in Kansas, or Wonder Women leaving her people, but for Batman, it was always his parent's deaths that kept repeating.

The same Monarch Theatre that the Wayne family left into Crime Ally until a masked bugler came out of the shadow with a gun. Thomas tried to stop the bugler, but both end up getting killed in cold blood. The bugler soon left the scene and leave young Bruce behind with his dead parents, until the police force arrived. No one knew who or where the bugler disappeared to for many years. But luck soon ran out for him and Batman finally found him.

Joe Chill.

 _‘Still the same...’_ _He told himself and a sigh escaped him. Sadly,_ Bruce touched the glass at the photo of Thomas and Martha holding each other. They looked similar to his, but his mother had dirty blond hair. _‘It's funny. I didn't get the chance to find out my killers' name. I guess I'll never know...'_

Not too far away was a huge glass case of Alfred's butler suit and his pocket watch. Next to it was an old photograph of him with a biography about his life and his family line. It even it talked about his death of old age and he was buried back in England with his parents. There were items that Alfred used and how he was a huge impact on the older Bruce's life.

Mournful, Bruce stared miserably at the photo of his older best friend, __'...No matter which world I go into, the universe keeps you old.'__ He thought, _'It was always so odd seeing you the oldest...when you were the youngest in my world. You know what’s even stranger? I never see your mother anywhere.'_

It was almost laughable how the Multiverse kept Alfred stuck as a father figure to Batmen. It was another one of those repeating effects that rippled through the Multiverses. It only made sense that it was all from the original source that was an older, wiser butler name Alfred Pennyworth. But from nowhere had Bruce's research or travels ever landed him in a world that had Alfred's mother. Not even a hint of her name could be found.

Evelena Pennyworth.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What?" A tearful young boy, wearing a black tuxedo suit, glanced over at the boy beside him. The oldest one was glaring in the far distance of the cemetery, but his tearful gaze catches his. He couldn't recognize his best friend anymore, as the older boy's expression show so much pain and rage. His first clutch and holding back in wrath within. This wasn't the kind and gentle friend he used to know.

"I'm going to revenge them, Alfred." He repeated and griped at the side of his black tuxedo, "My parents and your dad. I will revenge them."

Confused, Alfred wasn't sure what Bruce was trying to say, "H-how will you do t-that, Master Bruce?" He wiped his tears away with his sleeve to see clearly, "There are thousands of bad guys in Gotham, you can't catch all of them!"

Bruce turned away and glanced back at the grave that held his parents inside. The dirt was still fresh from shovelling it back into the hole and the snow slowly hid away the grave. To the side of the hole stood a new white, marble headstone with the words Thomas and Martha Wayne's name written over it,"...I don't know...but I'll find every way possible to stop crime in Gotham."

Alfred stood quietly and stared at his best friend and he wasn't too sure what to say. Only tears ran down his red, stain cheeks and the aching misery that held his heart. He knew what his best friend was going through, and he wanted more than anything to capture the criminals that did this to them. But it wasn’t like the heroes in his comic books that always find the way. This was real life and they were just kids in an adult world.

"Master Bruce." A female, British voice caught both the boys attention. The woman went next to Alfred and touched his head lovingly. The woman stood straight and wore a suit of a female butler and winter coat over it. Her long curly, black hair was tied back into a tight bun. Her grey eyes were swollen, but held such strength and seriousness, "...I, Evelena Pennyworth, will be taking over for my deceased husband, Jarvis Pennyworth, at the Wayne Manor. It will be an honour to work with you, dear Bruce." Like a proper butler, she bows slightly to Bruce.

Alfred watched his mother, before he, too, looked over to Bruce and bow the same way, "...as do I, Master Bruce."

Bruce stared at both of them sadly and bite his lip harshly as more tears run down, "The h-honour is m-mine." He angrily wiped his tears away only to make them worse, before he broke down and started to cry.

Evelena kneels down and reached over to Bruce's arm. She pulled both of the children into her warm embrace, as both boys cried quietly on her chest.

They both lost part of themselves that day but kept each other stronger since then.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I sure do miss you two..." Bruce sigh. It was never easy for him to see different versions of Alfred in the Mulitverse...when he will never see his again. It became harder and harder as time moved on.

The alarm snapped Bruce out of his memories and into Oracle's message. It pointed out that the camera was inside of a Batman photograph and it had enlarged its lens. _‘What could he possibly find interesting on my face? My pain?'_ He felt annoyed but turned away from Alfred's display. Moving around the room carefully, he searched for clues about any events that were mention before.

 _‘ _...Not even my older self's death is in here. I would have thought he'll be right next to his parents? I'll have to look somewhere else…'__ He came across the Batmobile and motorbikes sitting in the corner of the ballroom, _‘…This is very haunting. I never imagine my life would become a historical event. I guess I always imagine myself killed by own villains in the darkness…unknown to anyone that I existed.’_

In the corner of his eyes, he spotted something colourful and covered in laughter. When he moved his attention towards it, he saw the Joker and Harley Quinn cutout bill broads of the two. There were huge display cases detected to only them. Ignoring the other villain's display surrounding the Joker, Bruce quickly went over to it and devoured its content. Already he could tell that it had more details of the two's lives than the crime information in the Batcave.

Nothing.

 _‘There is nothing here about his heroism.’_ Disappointed, the dark knight analyzes the photographs within. As he expected, Harley Quinn remains the same person, but interesting enough, the Joker in this timeline was just one. The other two Jokers were nowhere in sight. _‘Interesting, so this is the one that's bloodthirsty.'_ He held his arms together. _‘Does these three Jokers come and go within the timeline? But why? Why go through this much trouble?’_ He sighed and massaged his forehead with his finger. _‘The only thing that explains here is about Joker and Harley's life and what they did to Gotham and Batman.'_

Bruce was about to past the relationship description when he spots the words ‘Abusive’ among the words. Bruce paused and quickly read the couple’s messy relationship. __‘_ Ah, I see. Another repeat event. This Joker also manipulates Harley Quinn into doing crimes with him. Different type of their ugly break-up, though.'_ He thought back at the time of his own Joker and Harley, __‘__ _…It is interesting that in my world,_ _ _they were the pain-in-the-ass powerhouse couple that hit the streets of Gotham…'__

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

Trapped inside a giant snow globe, Batman struggled inside to find a way to get out. Within an hour, it was filling up with ice cold water that reached up to his waist. His body’s temperature was quickly dropping and his legs felt numb. Batman could already tell his brain function was slowing down and he was dangerously close to hypothermia.

Batman couldn’t do anything, but stare at his utility belt sitting on the wore out table against the wall. Happy faces, jester cards and Batman symbols kept hitting him on his side inside the water. The only saving grace was the tiny holes above him to breathe. _‘Come on, Alfred...Where are you at?’_

The muffled laughter could still be heard throughout the abandoned warehouse, as Joker walked over to the globe with a wicked glee in his eye. "Don't worry, Bats!" He placed his hands behind his back. "Soon enough, you'll be the most beautiful centrepiece in all of Gotham Square, right dear?" He glanced over at the black and red jester behind him.

Near a grinning pile of a corpse that was made into Christmas tree, Harley was shaking some of the presents to her ear, as she listens carefully to what could be inside. She blinked over to the clown and grins happily at him. "It's gonna be the best present ya gave to Gotham, Mistah J! Y'warm my heart when ya do the nicest darn things!" She blew a kiss towards him.

“Why thank you, sugar dumpling.” The two criminal’s shared a loving glanced at each other. “I am a man with many gifts just wanting to share with the rest of the world.”

Not listening to the rest of the conversation, Batman caught a glimpse of movement above the metal beams. A man covered in black suit and hooded cape sneaked over to an opening vent in the wall. He watched him sneak inside quietly.

“Oh Puddin!" Harley Quinn's voice caught Batman's attention as he watched her taking off a lid from a huge red box. Peaking from the box were two little hyena pups. Her eyes brighten with excitement and her gasped filled with joy. "AHHH! THEY'RE ADORABLE!" She picked the pups up in her arms and kissed both their furry heads. "Really?!" She glanced over at her lover.

“All for my special little angel” Joker went closer to her. “Do you like it, my sweetums?” His voice was gentle and an affection smile appeared for Harley. And only Harley.

The jester jumped into her lover's arms with a loud, squealing noise and tried to kiss every inch of his face. Leaving trails of black lip-stick across his cheek, chin, and nose, until she reached for his joyful grin. They both entered into a deep french kiss and were deeply engrossed in each other.

At this moment, Batman doesn't know which was better; drown in the ice, cold water to stop the torment of watching their mating ritual or go through the agonizing wait for Alfred to save him. The drowning was highly tempting for Batman. The day Joker met Harley in the Arkham Asylum had been an irritating unit since. A very compassionate, affectionate, extremely annoying and vomit inducing powerhouse couple of Gotham. Batman always dreads when the couple start mayhem, as he had to force himself to go into a cringe-worthy, romantic love fest of chaos. If anything, their love for each other was more tormenting than anything torturous they throw at him.

Harley broke away from her lover's kiss, "My turn!" she jumped out of his arm and quickly went to the next room. She peeked over her shoulder from the doorway."No peakin!" And shut the door behind her.

“Be quick, monkey-face!” Joker sigh dreamy, and folded his hands together against his cheek,“That girl sure knows how to keep me happy, huh bats?” He grinned at Batman. The dark knight doesn’t say anything, but shaking violently against the cold. “Before you died, Bats. I never got the chance to say Thank you. Because without you, I would have never met my one and only soulmate.” The clown moved against the tank and tapped on the glass. “I, personally, wanted to do something special on our anniversary.” He chuckled.

“It w-won't be long b-before I g-get out of here, Joker. O-Once I d-oo." Batman stuttered as his voice had a slight echo around him. "Y-your girl w-will b-be sent to A-Arkham Asylum, w-while you're g-going into c-confined in an s-solitude room. F-far...a-part..fr-from e-each other. Like a pathetic, t-tragic love story."

A loud laughter echo throughout the warehouse, as the clown, brush away a tear. "Oh, Bats. You're hysterical! No need to be jealous!" He grinned, "It's about time that you finally moved on..."Batman spotted the Shadow man silently coming out of the room Harley went into. She was knocked out on the ground, while Alfred silently sneaks towards Joker with a stun gun in hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A miserable sighed escape Bruce's breathe and carried on to the other displays. After a while, he had enough and heading towards the exit. The information he read was the same kind report in the Multiversity files. It sounded very close to the original worlds, but he has yet to find someone to clarify. _‘I wonder if Joker is the only one here?’_ It was a creepy thought none the less.

The cameras fellow Bruce to the grand hall and he stopped in the middle of the room. The eerie surrounding seems to never lighten up and the sounds of ticking felt like a silent doom shadowing in the corners of the manor. _‘...It’s so strange how this is ‘my’ home...but it isn’t. It is another version of my self's home.’_ He glanced around the millions of different sizes of photographs on the wall. _‘A Batman's home shouldn't be so sinister and haunting...I feel like this place is about to devour me into an unknown abyss.'_

In between the stairs, the twin doors caught Bruce’s eyes. Curious, he went over to them and touched the knobs. _‘If this was a horror movie...they would be open.’_ Suddenly, Bruce felt a pair of arms snake around his waist. Startled, he grabbed the arm roughly and pulled the body where he could see it. Staring back at him was none other than a shocked Joker.

"WHOA! Calm down, Bats!" The clown grinned and placed his other hand up to surrender,"Never been hug by a clown before?”

Calming himself down, Bruce let go of Joker’s arm. "...I thought you won't be home for dinner?"

"Change of plans!" The clown shrugs, "It ended up to be a short afternoon. You know the jiffs of it! Idiot comes out, do naughty things and tries to run away as soon as I throw my tear jerkier bombs at them. Then my super buddies came along and saved the day. That was the end" He grinned happily with blood dripping from his lip and one eye clearly swollen.

Eyes widen, Bruce grabbed on to Joker’s chin and took a closer look at his wounds. He noticed the bruise forming around the clown's eye and another one on his side of the cheek. It seems Joker took a wild beating and he was cut by something sharp by some blade. _‘It can’t be...’_ The wounds were real and not some makeup trick. _‘The Joker was out this whole time?’_

Joker was taken by surprise at the sudden force of attention from Bruce. "Oh yes...I do want a welcome home kiss!" The clown closed his eyes and puckered his lips.

The dark knight completely ignored him. _‘He wasn’t the one behind those cameras?’_ Just in that right moment, Oracle announced that the camera's lens moves inside the glass cases to focus on them better. Some of the cameras that were pointed to them watched carefully to what they are doing. ‘S _omeone else is controlling them? But who?... Could it be the voice from the Batcave?'_ He wondered until he felt something soft brushed against his lips. Shocked, Bruce pushed the clown away from his face and made little distance between him. “What do you think you are doing?!” He wiped his lips.

“Oh come on! It was just a small peck. No harm was done!" The clown, instinctively, held his arm’s up into the air to protect himself from Bruce’s fist, but nothing ever came. Peaking through his arms he caught the sight of a bewilder and horrified face of the dark knight that the clown had never seen before. In that short second, the clown swore he saw something in the man’s eyes.

Bruce reached out and grabbed onto Joker's necktie and pulled him closer to himself. The cameras shut down automatically and something heavy filled the air. The manor’s atmosphere seems dark and sinister as if the building was ready to jump onto the dark knight.

 _‘ _I see...there is more to this building than that.’__ Bruce had no attention of hurting the clown, but he wanted to make one thing clear. “Don’t ‘ever’ do that again," Bruce growl and pushed the clown away from him.

Joker blinked a couple of times as he watched the man walked towards the display cases. “Fine, fine, geez! Getting worked up over a tiny kiss.” He crossed his arms. “Just remember you came onto me!”

The man stood quietly and stared at the photographs of Clark, his older self and Diana inside the case. _‘All the cameras are shut down...what could be in here?’_ He glanced over at the clown curiously. "...We should get your wounds cleaned up. Where is that first aid bag?"

“That would be in my room.” Huffed Joker. He was not pleased by Bruce’s attitude. “Why should you care?”

“I’ll be your nurse this time.” Placed his attention to Joker. “If it makes you feel better.”

Caught by surprise, the clown couldn't believe the dark knight would consider it. "....I'll get the medical bag! Don’t you dare change your mind!" Bruce watched the clown ran up the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

_***Bing*** _

The cameras started up again, as Oracle blue rings show which cameras turned on and the atmosphere slowly went back to normal. Bruce could only stare at nothing inside the display cases. __‘I don't know if this is a good thing to know that Joker isn't the only one in here or not.'_ _

Jokers were never alone in the first place. Not truly. Even if they don’t understand it themselves, they can’t function without people around. One thing Bruce noticed about killers and murders always intended to be fully alone, but not the Joker. Even when he worked alone, there was always someone there he could rely on. Either Harley, trusted henchmen, a bystander, or another villain to get his fix, he was never truly alone. That was the many reasons why Bruce would never keep his own Joker in an Arkham Asylum or Blackgate prison. For the clown would be in his own element. He could easily make friends depending on his charm and manipulation into doing his binning.

But this was slight different...

 _‘Why would Joker’s have his minions hidden behind closed doors? He could’ve easily had me surround or worse...’_ Baffled, Bruce couldn’t figure out what the sad Joker’s motives were. Keeping secrets and hiding things wasn't Joker's style. _‘...So, the question is....who might his friends be?’_

 


	4. The Shadow of the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter still needs to be edited as well as chapter 3.

Bruce entered into his own room as he could finally retired from the day. He was mentally drained and he stopped to glanced over at his made-shift bed on the floor. If the bed wasn't so soft, he wouldn't be dreading to lie down onto the floor with his fracture rib. It was hard enough to move around when the body was aching all over. He couldn't wait until the pain would finally heal.

* ** **Bing**** *

Another annoying alarm alerted him to where the camera's were.

 _'I hope these are the last ones for today,'_ He sighed. The Dark Knight walked over to the window and pretend that he was looking outside into the cold abyss. He checked for the where about of the cameras.

There were only two camera's in the bedroom, one to each corner as both facing towards the bed and two in the bathroom, as one facing towards the shower and another behind the mirror at the sink. He sighed bleakly and rubbed his eyes with both his hands, ' _ _I was starting to w__ _ _onder if__ _ _he w__ _ _ould__ _ _be able to have any__ _ _accessed to seeing me n__ _ _ude__ _ _in the shower. Glad to know he__ _ _was a__ _ _step further.__ ' He thought sarcastically.

He turned off Oracle since it was only making his headache worsened, it doesn't help that it was on the whole day once he came out of the Batcave in the afternoon. This was the first time, in a long time, he had to use Oracle constantly as " _Bruce Wayne_ ".

 _'...Actually,'_ He pondered as he wrapped both his arms together. He stared out the window toward the falling snow that feather touched the ice stained glass, _'I wasn’t truly myself without hiding any parts of me.'_

Since the day he lost his family, Bruce Wayne had died that very same day. There had been no purpose anymore as Bruce Wayne, for there were no longer a Gotham City for him to exist in. In all through his travels, he only used "Bruce Wayne" as his decoyed, or hidden in the lives of people. But even then, he would change his name a couple of times to disguise himself from the other Bruce Waynes. He mostly remained as Batman, but even the word "Batman" wasn't original. Even more so than Bruce Wayne.

In the other worlds, Batman, or something close to Batman, ruled most of half of the Multiverse, while the rest of the other universe were either Superman, Wonder Women, or any of the other superheros ruling the other realms. But it wasn’t always Bruce Wayne that turned into Batman. There were countless of others of different kinds of people with tragic past that guided them towards becoming a Batman, or something closed to it.

Going through these worlds, Bruce realized that there was nothing original about himself. The things he done, the goals he choose and the pain he went through. All these worlds went through the same sorta event, but in different concepts. What he thought was original ideas were nothing more, but planted seed that grow into a tangle roots from an original world.

Expect for one part of him that he was different from the rest of the Bat-verse. Which no Batman had ever done before or never would have ever they imagining to do. If he told the other Batmans what he had done, they would thought he was crazy. He would never share that part of him to anyone and for it was the only thing that destroy his planet in the first place.

So Bruce, himself, threw away his old name and just adopted his dead universe number instead; 1109. That remain mostly his name for the rest of his journey and to the other Batmans. Mostly due to tell each other apart and when meeting one another. No one, but him, had this number in the ocean of Batmans. While other Batmans that had their own worlds and still had their own names.

The last time he was __himself__  like this was when he was in Arabian world, Earth-374, when he had to deal with Djinn Joker.

 _'There was nothing I could ever hide from the djinn,'_ He told himself. Bruce saw his own breath fog up a bit of the window, _' _Even though he was the only one...'__ He sighed and placed his forehead against the cold glass, _'...doesn't matter anymore. I can't find it anyway.'_

~*~*~*~*~*~

Circling above in the dark night sky, were green thundering clouds threatening the golden, clay city down below. The winds thrashed everything in its path and the sandstorm was forming a barrier around the city, for no one could leave or escape. 1109-Batman and the Bat Arabian knight came closer to where the djinn was chanting his spells in the great open desert. The magic felt like misty, spider-webs creasing across their skin. As flashes of light could be seen almost everywhere in the green clouds. 1109 coughed behind his plastic mask, since it was hard for him to breathe in the harsh bits of sand dancing in the air.

The djinn's hair burned like green, misty flames as it slightly disappeared. The glowing, ruby eyes burned with power, while his jagged smiling teeth reached widely on both sides of his pale cheeks. His golden tribal jewelry surrounds his cuff arms, waist and neck and all glowed with immense powers flowing into his hands, as he waved them around in his purple gloves that connected to his back. The djinn sat across legged with an open, purple harem pants whipping around in the wind.

"Joker, stop this!" 1109 yelled and he ran closer to the gene that was above him and shoot his grapple-hook onto the djinn's arm. The ex-vigilante was about to pull him down, but he hesitated. He knew that this Joker had told him long time ago to stay away from his world, but 1109 had to return. Arabian knight begged and plead for him to come back. Even when 1109 told him he couldn't, the Arabian knight asked him to do it one more time in the sake of his family. For his family was captured by the djinn. 1109 couldn't say no to him after that, how could he say no to Arabian knight when his family was going to get killed by a powerful Joker. He might as well try.

Horrifying, the djinn glanced over towards the Dark Knight and stared at him for a long period of time, before his eyes were full of pure, flaming wrath. The grin soon disappeared into a twisted snarl, "What are YOU doing back here? Didn't I told you to never return here?"

1109 tried to pull the djinn down, but the gene remain in the air, "I wasn't going too, but you had to go ahead and take his family! Of course, I would help him. What do you expect me to do?"

The Djinn Joker glared at him, but there was something torn within his eyes,"...This is the last warning, Batman. Don't ever come back to this world again nor look for it." He turned slowly and no longer sat, but stand in the air. The Dark Knight now had the full attention of the gene hovering above him. The djinn grabbed the grappling hook and zapped it out of the ex-vigilante's hand. 1109 gripped his burned hand in pain and looked back up to the djinn, but Joker only stared back at him with aching disappointment.

But the Dark Knight wasn't going to give up, "Not until you let his family go! I won’t be going anywhere! I’ll remain here until his family is return to him."

"That is not your problem to dwell on! HE has to deal with this on his own numb-skull brain of his! Now Leave!" With a swing of djinn's arm, the blue, swirling portal open up from behind 1109, and the Arabian Knight turned quickly in time to see the portal open. He was about to grab onto the Dark Knight, when a harsh energy force pushed him across the sand and he rolled into a complete stop. The only sight left of the Arabian Knight was his whipping, white cape blowing in the wind from the sands.

The Dark Knight noticed his counter part was thrown away from him, but it was too late for 1109 to do anything, as a force sucked him deep into the portal and closed up quickly in front of him. In those last moments, he heard a soft voice from a distance.

"You will only destroy my world if you stayed."

~*~*~*~*~*~

That was the end. The Dark Knight never did found that world ever again or the Arabian Knight. Biting his lip, Bruce noticed the window reflected back to him was a miserable, empty man in front of him. This was the man that was name 1109. But for now, going back to his old name was good enough for this world. Walking away from the window into the bathroom, he decided he was going to get ready for bed.

The bedroom colors wall flow into the bathroom to connect to each others theme. But it was a small bathroom that had enough space for two people to be in, while it held a stone shower with a glass door, a white toilet that had a small window above it, and the black shelve, on the wall, that held different sizes of towels and the white, counter sink with a huge, frame mirror above it.

Bruce decided he was going to wash his face, but then he noticed an untouched package of toothbrush and toothpaste sitting on the edge of the sink counter. There was also a boxed of soap on the other side and beside it was a new hair brush.

"huh..." Bruce raised his brow, as he picked up the black brush and looked at it carefully, "...I never thought I ever see you again." After being alone for so long, talking to objects wasn't so strange, but what was strange was that everything he used to have back in his old world, were now here in this bathroom. His old fashion razor that his father use to used were now here inside a ceramic cup and shaving cream sitting next to it.

"....." Bruce placed the brush back down on the counter. His face downcast and felt the burden of this world to become a second grade Bruce Wayne, _'No pressure at all of being Bruce Wayne again.'_

He turned the sink's knob for the warm water to come and moved to the shelves where the gray and white towels were. He pulled out a face towel, but paused when he noticed a color bottle inside the shower rack in the corner. It was the same shampoo and soap he used when he first came here and that he left it in Joker's bathroom.

 _'.....Strange.'_ He thought, as he stared at the soap and shampoo, _'...I guess his friends move my stuff in the morning when I was in the cave?'_

Bruce really wanted to know how many friends the clown had, or even know who they were. Just in case, that he might have to go up against later on. For now, they seem to just serve the clown behind the hidden scenes and do nothing more, but to supervise him. He was just happy that there was someone other than the Joker in this world.

After washing and drying his face, he used the new toothbrush and toothpaste to brush his teeth. Who would've thought, it would feel so good to brush his teeth with the most simplest of items, rather than a bristle stick.

Finishing, he went back into the bedroom and started to change into his PJs that he left on his bed that very same morning. The clothing wasn't even dirty and beside, they were his only clothing he had. So, he decided that he was going to place them inside the drawers against the wall. He pulled out the drawer only to discovered that there were whole drawer filled with his type of shirts and sweaters. Surprised, he looked into the other drawers and found other pairs of different kinds of pants, and the next drawers were his under garments, PJs and socks. Curious, he left his used clothing on top of the drawer and goes over to the closet and discovered jackets and nice suits. There were also a pair of nice dressing shoes, boots, normal shoes and sandals nicely on a shoe rack below. And to end it, their were dressing mirrors behind the closet doors.

Bruce only had a despondent smile and was left off guard at the pleasant surprised waiting for him in his bedroom, but he knows deep down, it doesn't help that these stuff used to belong to his older counter part long before he came into this world. They were just horrible reminders of a man, 1109, used to be.  

The Dark Knight felt pity for the clown, for he, himself, would never be the same Bruce Wayne he once was. Bruce Wayne was dead and the only person that was reborn from that corpse was 1109. He saw too many things and learned from too many lives for him go back into that corpse again. As for the clown, he had to learn how to grieve for the lost of his Batman and there was no replacing him. Not even himself.

That's another reason Bruce needed to get off this planet. The clown would only go crazy-er if 1109 doesn't act like his lost Batman.

Shutting the closet doors, he went over to the side of the bed and carefully lied down onto the soft fabric and stared at the ceiling lamp above. He will be lying down on his make-shift bed soon, but for now, he just didn't wanted to kneel down.

Feeling trap was an understatement, as all his thoughts kept wandering back into how to get his armor, his portal coding, and his lack of resources to an agreeable measurement amount for him to leave. It doesn't help he felt restricted as the camera's followed him every step of the way. And he hated it. Knowing that these cameras weren't on before this morning, told himself that Joker made up a plan in action, or maybe, the clown planned it even further when he was asleep for two days.

And the most dreaded feeling he felt since he got onto this planet, was that he hasn't seen a living person or any living thing, beside Joker, anywhere. Not even Joker's sidekick Harley Quinn could be seen anywhere. He knows that their behind the scenes, but to actually __see__  someone alive would've at least calm his nerves. For what he knows, Joker's hidden friends could be humanoid robots that control the cameras.

He cringed at the thought.

Standing up carefully, he turned on the bedside lamp and turned off the switch to the bigger light above him and went over to his make-shift bed as he kneel down against it. He placed the blanket onto himself when he lied down and reached up to turn off the lamp. He couldn't help, but wonder back what had happen at the end of the day when the clown came home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The lights were on inside the kitchen, as the medical bag was resting on the island counter, the Dark Knight was looking through the bag and pulled out certain things for the cuts on Joker's face, shoulder, and arm. The clown sat next to him on the stool holding a ice pack onto his eye and he was waiting for Bruce to finish. This wasn't new for Bruce to take care of a wounded Joker, since he had to helped them many times to stabilize the clown's wounds in other worlds or they might've die from bleeding out.

"What did you do today?" The clown asked, as if he knew what the Dark knight was up too this whole time, "Snooping around for anything good? You can always check in my bedroom for the best secrets. I'll give you a hint," He place a hand to his cheek and whispered, "There inside the bedside table on the both drawers." He winked with a leering grin.

Bruce was sorry to the universe for having to complain about Jokers always being nothing more than killers. Now that he finally got his wish, he end up having the most loneliness, sexual frustrated one out of all the Multiverse. There was never a Joker that ever cared for sex like this one does. The only time they do get aroused was when hurting their own Batman. But deep down, Jokers do have some sexual need from Batmans...but this one takes that rainbow cake and smear it all over himself.

The Dark Knight got the stuff ready and set down on his stool, pushing his seat closer to the clown, "...Only because someone didn't keep their word for showing me around the manor."

The clown blinked, "I did?" As he placed a finger onto his blue lip and looked upward to the ceiling. His eyes widen when the memory hit him that he did said something a long those lines when they enter the manor, "....Oh, I did...Oopies."

Bruce patted gently with a soft cotton ball to clean away the blood from the clown's lip and forehead, "...Anyway, I thought I should check out the museum myself. It isn't snooping around when your house is made out to be a giant history book. Beside, it's interesting to see what my other self life had accomplished."

Clown laughed, "Like looking in a fortune ball of a life you'll never have."

"...Yes." The clown was harsh, but he was right. Even though Bruce knew it was ridiculous and a waste of time to think about it now, but he did wondered if this was the closest thing he had gotten to see about how his life would've turned out to be. A world where Bruce Wayne's life was rich with excitement, danger and blood shed. A life with his Bat-family and the Justice League ready at his side for anything the world threw at them. The crazy things he would've went through. Magic, science, and the wonder. All the possibilities choices he would've had to over come, if his world was still alive.

It was cruel.

How the Multiverse teased and laughed at him like this.

Bruce placed his fingers carefully onto the clown's chin and raised it up towards him to take a better look at Joker's swollen eye, "...I also wanted to see Bruce Wayne's death information. Is that in another room?"

The clown stared back into Bruce's eyes as his pupil shrink to a nail point, but calmly responded, "Oh Brucy, of course it is in the other rooms. Is that all you've been looking for? Your self death? I didn't think you were so morbid." He giggled, "I really like this new side of you, darling."

"Don't get me wrong," Bruce gently shoved the ice-pack back onto Joker's bruised eye and have the clown whimper a bit. He gently and carefully placed the bandage onto the clown's forehead, "I find it strange that a museum like this doesn't carry any information about Bruce Wayne's death even though this place is dedicated to him."

The clown glared at him with a stern look, as he held the ice pack back onto his eye, "...Fine. I'll show you your older self's death, morbid emo. If that is soooo important to you, love." Glancing back into Joker's eyes, Bruce could tell that he annoyed the clown by the request.

"Anywhere else your hurt?"  
   
Joker garbing the side of his shirt collar and slide the cloth down to his shoulder. There, he revealed a clean, sharp cut on his shoulder that bleed heavily from it and it was causing his suit to stain down to his chest, "This one."  

 _'He wanted to eat...while that wound was open?'_ Bruce only shook his head and took out some gloves, disinfected cream, needle and thread from a small container. He got everything he needed ready and started to cleaned up the nasty wound.

There was a comfortable silences surrounding the two men, as Joker stared unreadable at Bruce for the longest time. The Dark Knight doesn't seem to care, as he kept his contraction onto the clown's shoulder as he started to sew up the ivory skin.

"....So empty inside." The clown's soft voice broke the silence between them and it was as if he was speaking only to himself. That caught the Dark Knight off guard and had to peek over to the inscrutable clown's face, "No inner struggle. No inner battles. Just...plain nothing. I couldn't believe a Bats could get anymore gloomier."

Bruce gazed at the clown carefully and narrow his brows, "What is that suppose to mean?" He knows what he meant, but he wanted to know what the clown already saw within him.

"I mean...unlike **_**_my_**_**  grumpy Brucy, he at least had some annoying fight in him and his beautifully torment and struggles with his inner demons. But you, you on the other hand...don't even have any life left in you. It's as if...your nothing more than an empty corpse. Dead inside, just waiting to be buried into the ground." He giggled slightly and than he went complete silences as if something just hit the clown.

Joker's eyes widen when he saw the death mask across Bruce's face, "....." A cold shiver went down the clown's spine when he glanced into the Dark Knight's bleak, blue eyes. He wanted more, he wanted to know more about this stranger that came out of nowhere from the Multiverse into his world.

The clown leaned closer to Bruce and whispers, "That's a beautiful mask your wearing, hon. It turns me on just wanting to know what you been through to gain such a mask."

The Dark Knight didn't do anything at first, but narrow his brows even deeper. He finished up sewing the clown and cut the string with scissors. Bruce went back to grabbing some of the sticky bandage and placed it onto the clown's stitched wound.

 "...You're right." A radiant grinned appeared on the clown's face, when he heard Bruce agreed with him, "But your also wrong." Bruce wiped away most of the blood and dirt off of Joker's skin, "But it doesn't mean I'm still not struggling."

A little slack-jawed, Joker tried to understand Bruce's words, "Is that so? What are you still struggling for?" Joker let go of his stained collar.

"Now your next wound," Bruce slightly ignored Joker's question, but he heard him clearly. He watched the clown rolled up his sleeves to showed him the same kind of cuts that he had on his shoulder and a nasty bruise forming around his side of his shoulder. But the cuts weren't as deep as the last ones. Bruce went ahead to cleaned the wound up gently again, but he also noticed a small pommel peaking out from his sleeves, "...Living."

"What?" This time it was Joker that was caught off guard by Bruce's words, "Living?"

"Living is my struggle." Both man stay quiet, as Bruce was fixed into Joker's eyes, "...So, is yours."

Joker eyes widen and became glowering, "...You don't know that."

Bruce empty chuckled only cut through the attention between the two, "...I'm being honest here." Darkness loomed over the clown when the Dark Knight's eyes stared back at him coldly. The endless abyss of nothingness could tear the clown's soul apart, "...Why can't you?"

The clown shuddered as goosebumps form all over his body. He didn't realized he held his breath and felt the blood rushed into his warm cheeks. Joker let himself get devoured by Bruce's dark gaze. He was completely hypnotized and lost all meaning of thought inside his mind. This was the gazed he wished his Bruce Wayne had. There were times where the clown was so close into breaking Batman's patients, only to have the vigilante snapped out of it, or someone stopping him. But this Batman that came out of nowhere...showed more abyss than he was used too.

The funny thing was...

It wasn't disturbing.

"You're done by the way." Joker snapped out of his trance and checked his bandage arm. At first, he was clueless as to what just happen until he remember what Bruce had last said to him. There was a sense of creepiness coming from the Joker. Bruce watched as the clown's frown ever so deepened and his eyes were filled with anger. There was only one way to break this sad clown's trance. Bruce lifted the clown's beaten knuckles up to his lips and he kissed it. He could tasted the iron on his tongue. Green eyes wide open, the clown was snapped out of his wild trance, "...There. All better."

"....." Stunned, Joker never would had imagine Bruce unpredictable affectionate toward him. This kind of flirting was only meant for the sleazy women that Bruce hit on in snotty parties. What kind of Bruce Wayne was he?

The dark knight knew that this wasn't something a normal Bruce Wayne would've done around the Joker. Actually, his older self would've punched him good in the face and placed him into Arkham. Getting the best treatment he could find for himself. But this Joker was flirty and his love for the older Bruce Wayne only made it easier for 1109 not to get into violence if he didn't had too.

Bruce let go of his hand gently, "You know..."

"K-know what?" Joker went back to glaring, but this time it was much more softer than before.

"You had been kind to me..." Bruce thought he should at least calm the Joker down a bit and pretended that he didn't know what Joker's motives were, "If you are thinking I'm here to do anything sinister, I'm not. I'm not here to hurt you in anyway or form. As soon as I get my stuff ready, I'll be out of your green hair in no time."

Bruce wasn't sure what he was seeing on the clown's face. It might be closed to wishful and confused, but the Joker soon return back to his normal self.

The clown sighed annoyingly loud, "What a kill joy! Talk about ruining any excitement for my hopes and dreams, love." Joker crossed his arms and leaned back on the stool while peeved at Bruce. "...Did you came here from another world to destroy me with boredom? Bored-man, he takes a yawn and everyone die in their sleep?"

Bruce couldn't help himself, but be slightly amused by the clown's remark, "Really? I pity Bored-man than.... Bored-man had to fight his greatest nemesis the crying clown. Where he cries and whines his way to annoy the heroes. "

"...." Joker snorted, but couldn't help and started laughing out loudly at the painfully lame joke, "F-finally a Bat with a s-sense of humor! N-Never thought I see the day that gloomy B-Brucey would take a spin at fun!"

Bruce watched the clown laughing in his seat and hitting his knee. He started to pack the medical stuff back into the bag and the paper wraps into the garbage.

The Joker finally stopped laughing and stood up, "Next time, sweet cheeks," the clown stretched out, "You better wear that nurse outfit. I don't want to be disappointed again," He smirked at the Dark Knight.  
  
"You wish. You can keep that fetish back in your disgusting, wet dreams." Bruce heard the clown laughing beside him again, but he ignored him. Looking back inside the bag, he pulled out a bottle of pain-killers. Finally, the medicine he needed all day. He dropped two pills onto his hand and grabbed his glass from lunch time and pour some water from the faucet. Filling the glass up half way.

"Aww, I forgot to give my pet medicine, didn't I?" The clown went next to Bruce and took some of the pills for himself.

Bruce swallow the pills down with the water, "Doesn't matter. I'll keep them with me."

"Fine by me. I don't want my precious batys to always be in pain," He popped the pills in his mouth and reached out for Bruce's glass of water from his hand. He gulped the liquid down his throat. Bruce took back the pain-killers into his pocket for later on. The clown walked over to the fridge and started to pulled out a meat and vegetable pie still in a glass pan wrapped in plastic.

 _'Was that there before?'_ Bruce question himself, he would've sworn he didn't saw it in the fridge at lunch time. He watched as the clown took off the wrapper, turned on the oven and shoved it into the stove. It looked pretty normal for him to do. He even took some of the cold, soda bottles from the fridge and placed them onto the island, _'Looks like I'm going to be joining him.'_ Even though he already ate, he guessed he might as well have a little bit more.

The clown sat back onto his spot waiting for the pie to be cooked. He leaned against the island with his one arm resting on it, while the other hand rested onto his chin. He glanced up at Bruce and winked at him. Baffle, the Dark Knight couldn't keep up with the clown's on and off mood swing. To Bruce, he wasn't sure he was walking on egg shells or raging bombs.

"I'll take you, muffin."

"...What do you mean?"

"Keep up with the times, darling. I said I'll take you. Meaning, I'll show you around my big, beautiful love nest once we’re finish eating. I'll be your best host that a bat could fall in love with," He leered with a grin.

Bruce narrow his brows and across his arms. He doesn't think the clown was so willing to actually show him around the manor. But deep inside his gut, he somehow doubt it and would only lead him to dead ends. If anything, he'd be more surprised if the clown actually does let him to places where proof of his story contained. Either way, there were only two ways the clown could lead him towards.

After Dinner...

"They're locked!"

Bruce and the Joker were standing in front of the door that was on the left side of the grand hall stairs. This doesn't seem to surprised Bruce as he glanced over to Joker, whom was laughing nervously and struggle twisting the door's knob.

The clown padded himself down all over his purple suit, while looking for some sort of keys or pick locks. Instead, he took some random stuff out of his pockets and he would dump the nick-nacks onto the mosaic flooring. The cards, lucky rabbit foot, the bouncy-balls, the dice, and the colorful gum were all laying a mess in front of their feet.

The dark knight only sighed, _'What not a surprise.'_

It wasn't the first time Jokers had _pretended_  to be oblivious about their own actions. It was usually indicate they needed some more time to set something up, while they looked innocently doing it. Sneaky little genius bastards. Bruce saw it so many times, it doesn't phase him to what the sad clown was doing. It seems the clown noticed the Dark Knight's impassive look in his eyes.

"What can I say? It's been awhile since I had guest over, okay!..Geez, putting pressure onto me why don't cha..." Joker grumbled and walked over to the twin doors to tried and twisted the knob, but it doesn't seem to work. "No wonder you can't keep a girl for very long."

Bruce raised his brow at the clown with that strange, sudden remark, "....."

After a fifteen minutes of waiting and trying to get one of the four unknown doors to open, Bruce was loosing his patients and just wished the Joker would stop acting. It was clear to him that Joker doesn't wanted him into those rooms quiet yet, or the clown would've kicked it down by now.

"I can't seem to remember where I put those damn keys." The clown scratched the top of his green head while staring at the door knob in question.

Not fooling anyone, Bruce knew that despite Jokers having scramble memories of their past life, they do seem to remember where everything they needed was. The Guns, the knives and where to get money or explosives were. He had a hard time believing the sad Joker doesn't know where the pare of keys were, _'I bet they might be in his room beside his bed...where those 'toys' are.'_

"It's been so long, I can't even remember what's in there?" The clown place a hand on his chin and his other hand to his waist.

"...Enough, Joker. Let's call it a day." The Dark Knight had enough with the stalling. It was starting to become a waste of his time.

"So unlike you to give up, Bats. Where was the spunk of trying to break down the doors! "  
  
"Since the day I have a fracture rib. I don't want to break down doors if I don't have too, besides I'm surprised you didn't break it down yourself, Clown Prince of Crime?"

"As you can see, I don't have the right stuff to break into it or have the sexy muscles to barge through it." Placing both hands on his hip, Joker was a annoy that he had to explained himself.

"Didn't stop you before."

"Hey!" Joker walked right up to Bruce's face and poked at his chest roughly, "Mr.Break-into-everything-with-no-court-order. Why don't you give it a try with your lock picks that you always have?"

“I don’t have them on me.” He answered, _'I would've gotten them a long time ago if it weren't for your cameras. Which doesn't make any sense that you are asking me to break into your rooms.'_ Bruce sighed. He annoyingly rubbed his forehead as he tried to relax and gave up on arguing with the clown. Otherwise, they will be there all night competing who was more of a criminal than the other, "Why don't we just grab some lock picks from the Batcave?"

"Why! That's the best idea you had yet, Batys!" The clown wrapped his arm around Bruce's arm, hugging it close to his chest, " What are we waiting for? Let's go to the batcave!"

"...Joker." Bruce wasn't able to say anything more as Joker dragged him towards the Batcave. The clown didn't let go of him the whole way, until they came into a small room to where older Bruce kept his utility belt equipment. There were walls of drawers on each side full of different items within them and written tags names onto the drawers. To smoke tablets all the way to small antidotes.

This was where Bruce needed to be in order to collect most of his self-defense resources for his travels. The items looked primitive to what he was used to, but it was better than nothing. The Dark Knight searched and jump through tags in order to find the pick locks.

"You know, Batys. You've been learning all about my world lately, that I don't even seem to know too much about yours." Joker grabbed a couple of drawers and lazily check in them before he shut them again. He doesn't seem to care too much what was inside them.

 _'Ah, here it comes.'_ Thought Bruce as he went through further down the drawers, "I told you pretty much my standards of what had happen to me."

"Standards? No...Those were just a few sentences! A little taste to a larger buffet. I was expecting a full blown, gloomy, tragic, sad story of your life!" The clown went over to him and whipped Bruce around to face him, "You didn't even give.me.that.much. I am very patient man, batys, I can go so far before I crack. Yet I'm so disappointed. I really thought we would become besties by now. Paint our nails, comb each others hairs and tell each other what fucked up shit we went through."

 _'We only known each other for one day and you weren't even here for the half of it,'_ Intrigued, the Dark Knight across his arms,"Fine. What else do you want to know about me?" Bruce leaned against the counter table where the drawer items were. He across his arms and waited for Joker to ask his questions.

"I want to know how you even got off your world in the first place or even the details what kind of world you were from."

".....It's a long story."

The clown leaned closer, "I have time."

"Do you? It seems you need that time to fight against criminals."

"OOooh." A little tick off at how Bruce had been avoiding the clown about anything about himself, "Your not playing fair, Bats." The clown's face burned with choleric as a growled form within his throat.

"Well, you should know better. Your all about not playing fair."

The clown took a fist full of Bruce's shirt and glared at him closely, "Your really pushing my funny buttons, Bats." The Dark Knight finds it interesting that the clown didn't took a stabbed at him yet. He knew there was a hidden dagger up in his sleeves while Bruce was cleaning his wound. But the clown doesn't seem to show any real signs that he wanted to hurt him.

"Do you have anything else you need to do tomorrow, beside fighting crime?" Bruce finally said after the intense glaring that the two of them seem to always share together.

"...Just beating the shit out of the baddies." Joker growled.

"Well...maybe, when your finished. We can sit down, have that hot cocoa you wanted and I can tell how I got off my planet..." Bruce thought of something that the clown might like even better, "and maybe snuggle."

Excited, the clown's lips reached up to his ears and leaned against Bruce with his hands on his chest, "Really? Promise?"

"Yes, promise." Bruce wasn't going to lie, he doesn't mind bribing the Joker with sweet nothingness.

"Fine. But you better keep that promise." He let go of Bruce and went back to searching, "Now where are those, god darn lock picks."

Bruce watched as the clown looked through most of the drawers with little speed, before he turned back looking for them himself. After a fifteen minutes or so, Joker had found them.

"I found it!" He said excitedly, holding them in his hands.

"Good. Now let's go and open those doors." Bruce was about to reached for them, but Joker quickly took the picks away from his grasp.  
  
"Nah ah,ah,AH!" Joker shook a finger in front of Bruce's eyes with a happy grin running across his face, "Just to make sure you keep your side of the promise. I won't give them to you until you tell me about yourself, darling."

Un-amused, Bruce went over towards the other lock picks inside the drawer. The clown almost forgot about them and quickly stood in the Dark Knight's way. Joker leaned his whole back against drawers so Bruce couldn't get to them.

"Ah! Meant all of them!" He took the drawer out of the shelf and shove all the lock picks into his pocket and threw away the drawer. The sound of metal hitting uncomfortable in his bulky pockets could be heard whenever the clown moves, and he started padded them on his side.  He even stood as distance away from Bruce as if he was about to dash through the door with stolen goods.

Looking frustrated and crossed, Bruce couldn't believe the Joker got him back. Even though he would've told him some parts of his past, but to actually hold the lock picks hostage just to keep his promise in tack. Sneaky little-, "...So...in the mean time, I have to wait until you get home?"

"What can I say, I want to be the best host that a bat could fall in love with." He shrugged in a playful matter. He knew he got the Dark Knight good on his word.

Unlike his past life, Batman would've beat the living shit out of him for those lock picks, but Bruce wasn't going to forcefully do that. Especially, when Joker hadn't done anything wrong for him in order to deserve it. There was no reason too. He had been good to him so far beside being creepy and have stalking cameras on him. Irritated as Bruce was, he was going to be a good man and wait until the clown does come home from work like he promised.

"Fine. Have it your way, Joker."

Ecstatic about the clown side of the win, Joker stood as the victor close by to the door, "My oh my, a day where the bat is nothing more than a cute, little push over. I'm falling for you all the more. Morbid and a sucker are starting to be my type." The clown walked out of the exit, but stopped himself to look back at Bruce, "Don't worry, Bats. You won't be tooo disappointed." He laughed to himself as he disappeared into the Batcave.

Biting his lip, Bruce soon followed the clown out and saw him that he made a good distance between them, _'I hate it that he knows I would pick-pocket him.'_ This was starting to get dangerously fun for Bruce. When was the last time he had fun on this cat and mouse game with the Joker? _'No...That time has long been past. Remember what you did to your own Joker.'_ He shook his head and took a deep breath to get the excitement out of his system. He doesn't want that. He doesn't want to do this to this Joker. Even if he didn't know what this sad Joker was all about. He wasn't going to do the same.

Coming to the grand hall, Joker stopped in the middle of the room before he slightly twirled around to his full attention over to Bruce, "Let's call it a the night, Brucy. I'm a bit tired from work” as he stretches, “-and I need my beauty sleep, got to keep my skin amazing!" He actually waited for the Dark Knight to get closer, but not too close for him to pick pocket him.

Bruce knew that this was only some plan for Joker to set something up, but whatever it was, he’ll find out sooner or later, "Fine by me."

As they continued up the stairs. The hallway had glossy wooden floor boards that almost match the wooden beam on the side of the walls and up to the ceiling. The walls were earthy color as a large window could be seen at the end of the hall with a table and a vase full of flowers underneath. Beautiful large paintings of famous artist held in frames rested on the side. Some of the bedroom doors held a name tags to show to the public of who's room it was. Others were closets doors hidden to the side.

Bruce came closer to his bedroom door and grabbed onto the knob. He was about to twist it, when he felt someone grabbed onto his arm's sleeve and tugged him down lower to a certain height. He felt a soft peck of lip onto his cheek. Surprised, Bruce quickly caught the sight of the clown with his coy and mischievous grin, "Good-night, honey-suckles. I can't wait to hear more about you." He chuckled.

The clown walked away towards his master bedroom and went inside. When he turned to catch Bruce staring back at him in shock, the clown made sure he waved to him from the darkness with a creepy grin only lighting half way to his face, before the door closed and with a muffled laughter coming from behind it.

 Frozen, the Dark Knight kept staring at the white door where Joker disappeared into.

"....What have I got myself accidental into." He asked himself, which no answer came to him.

~*~*~*~*~~*~*~

That very morning, Bruce got himself up and ready for the strange day to come. Of course, following closely behind him were the watchful eyes of the cameras to keep him company, including not having privacy in the bathrooms. He was already heading downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast and once he got near the island, he spotted a heart-shape, pink note beside a plate of warm, blueberry pancakes with syrup and fruit on top. At the side of the pancakes were scrambled eggs and bacons and a nice hot cup of black coffee.

The sight of the breakfast had made Bruce's mouth water as he came closer enough to read the heart shape note next to it.  

 ** _'_ _ ** _I'll be a work Batys! I'll be home soon for our little date! Look forward to that love fest, taa taa for now!' xoxoxoxox ~Joker_**_** _ ** _  
_**_  
Bruce couldn't help but wonder at the bizarre way that this world works, _'Date, huh. I never thought I would see the day when a Joker would be happy enough not to try to kill me?'_ Everything was backwards in this world...well, maybe not. He already went through a world that was backwards. It was dreadful world called Bizarro, Earth-29. Just like Earth-663, he never wanted to experience that world ever again. Which was funny, since there was a Sad Joker in there too, _'hmm. Maybe their related?'_ Still, he can't really judge this world until he found someone other than Joker to speak with or any sort of life form for that matter.

Once Bruce finished with his breakfast and took some pain-killers, he decided he was going to check on the vehicles and the giant computer awhile he was waiting for Joker to come back. Bruce hoped, at least, the bat computer would work. He was curious to see if the older Bruce made his last attempt to write a report before his death. Of course, he had the feeling he might not be so lucky the way the batsuits looked. The only computer that might had all the information about this world would be the ones that connected to the cameras. That would take a great amount of time to break into the system without looking suspicious.

In the study room, he headed inside the elevator and down into the Batcave. When the slide doors open, the Dark Knight decided he will check out the where about of the hidden cameras and the silent alarms that he hadn’t noticed before. Maybe they weren’t turned on the last time he was in there?

  _'Oracle, where are the security system in this Batcave?'_ He mentally asked. Every Batcave had some sort of powerful security system in the world and it also depending how paranoid a Batman one could be. Bruce watched as Oracle scanned the whole Batcave. Nothing seem to appeared onto his sight. Nothing red and no signs of life.

_No security system detected..._

_' _What?'__ The whole Wayne Manor had countless of cameras everywhere and including outside in the backyard, __'_ Why aren't there any security system in the Batcave? Where are the motion sensors, and the silent alarms?' _That was odd. Too odd. This world just couldn't stop being extraordinary. _'Shouldn't the Batcave be the first priority to have heavy surveillance cameras?'_ If it wasn't creepy enough that there weren't any bats in the Batcave and a linger female voice echoing through the walls...than there was something seriously wrong with this Batcave.

Either way, Bruce decided he would treat the Batcave as if it still had security. Whatever it maybe, he had to be extra careful whatever may lay within its walls and not linger too long by himself inside. How ironic, the Batcave used to be his most safest, comfortable place for him to be in and now it became the most mysterious, untrustworthy place in all of Wayne Manor.

There was one thing Bruce couldn't get used too, the massiveness of the Batcave. _'How did my older self sneak most of the stuff in here by himself? Like that giant penny and dinosaur? What are those two supposed to represent?'_ Alfred and himself had to be so careful on what they had to put inside the cave and what they had to purchase into it. They also had to be careful on who they hired to fix the electricity and building materials. It was hard enough to make stairs that lead down to his own Batcave.

"...A cave to hide all our detective equipment."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"That's the idea, Master Bruce." A dirty, young man holding a shovel, and wiped the sweat off his brow. His medium length black hair had a twist to the side of a comb over, but it was a messed from all the bending motion from shoveling. Dirt covered his white shirt and his black pants were completely a mess, "We need to have a place to hid some of the stuff we needed in order to fight crime with." He glanced over to Bruce breaking the rocks with a pick ax.

Bruce stopped swinging and panted. His once nice comb back hair were in tangles and his black shirt was covered in sweat and dirt. His poor pants were slightly ripped up from the sharp rocks. They had been digging downwards from Thomas Wayne hidden office for two weeks now. They planned to get the cave connected to the mansion and another opening for their vehicles.

 "Can you stop calling me that. I told you a thousand times not to call me Master or sir."

"But I have to, Master Bruce. My family has always been your faithful servants since the middle ages." He teased, he knew that just irritated Bruce more. The bitter look of annoyance that the man's face could twist into was rewarding gift to Alfred, "Besides, I promised my father and mother to carry the tradition myself, mate."

Bruce sighed displeased, "...You do know the middle ages are long over, Alfred. I don't know anyone that still has butlers anymore. "

"Blimey," Said a shocking female voice from behind them. The two men turned towards a widen eye Evelena, whom stared back into opening of the study room. She was holding a silver plate with two glass of lemon-aid on top. The sight of the old secret room that Thomas Wayne had hidden was completely transformed into a pile of mess and rumble, "Lost the pots you two did. What is the point gutting a DIY to the cave in fortnight?"

"Because, mum." answered Alfred, as he shoved the shovel into the ground and walked towards her, "That way when some of Bruce's rich friends get plastered, we won't have to worry about them stumbling into our stuff." He took the ice glass of lemon-aid and gulped down the refreshing juice. It helped him cool down the heat a bit that he felt from his body.

"Oh?" She raised a brow at him and glanced over to Bruce, "You have to agree with his wonky ideas. This is your last summer break, shouldn't the both of ya really wanted to spend it like this?"

"Yes," Bruce said seriously, as he joined Alfred drinking the cold lemon-aid, "Once we have finished all of university. We are planning on going into training again, but this time in japan with some master. Once that's done. We wanted to be trained by the best detectives. We only need to learn some of the most important stuff about crime."

Evelena had a concerned expression that only a mother would have and breath out a worry sigh, "Can you boys just live a normal life? Bruce, why don't you go to a dog's dinner and chat up a nice girl? Instead of this shambles of a cave with my crazy son of mine?"

After finishing his lemon-aid, Bruce placed the glass down back to the silver plate. He could only smile gently at Evelena, "...No, we need to do this, Evelena. This is something we must do for our family."

Alfred agreed and glanced over to his disappointed mother. She could only roll her eyes.

"Very well. Lunch will be ready soon. I'll give you a bell when it's ready." She turned around and went back into the mansion. Alfred sighed in relief of his mother departing.

"Don't tell me," Bruce went back to his pick ax, "She tried to convince you with bliss of normal life again?"

"...What can I say, mate?" Alfred went back to digging, "She will always be worry about us no matter what. Don't think that would be the last attempt of her trying to change our minds."

Bruce nodded and looked back at the rocks that had already been cracked, "...Nothing will change my mind." His rage in his heart was the proof of that. Alfred silently agreed. "One more thing...."

"Yes, Master Bruce?" Alfred stopped to put his attention to his best friend.

"We're going to be detectives, right? Remind me again, why we need a cave for our hidden stuff?" Bruce raised his brow in question and wiped away the sweat from his forehead.

"It will also be safe room just in case a loony criminal does find out who we are. We can also hide people that are in trouble in here, just in case."

"Right."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_'If you could only seen this Batcave, Alfred. You would be amazed.'_

Taking a detour of the Batcave, he finally found the room that would leaded him to the vehicles. The lights came on as soon as he entered the room and noticed the thick, dust blanket on top of the bat-mobile and many other vehicles. Some were covered in the white sheets hidden away in the background. Bruce's eyes widen when he saw the batwing settling on metal wires up above him. On the wall had a map of the names of each of the vehicles names were and what kind of gadgets they hold within them.

"....I'm impressed. I don't have this many toys as this...but I do recognized a few of them" Bruce thought about which vehicle he wanted to check first and decided on the one he knew best and held his heart. The Bat-mobile. It was truly nostalgic feeling overwhelm his ever senses when he looked upon its black cover. The many memories flashed into his mind and the many dangers the Bat-mobile went through.

"Now, let's see if you look the same on the inside as you do on outside." He went over to where the engine was and popped up the hood. Shocked and dismay, all the parts were there expected for the engine itself. It was gone. Leaving an empty spot where the everything connected towards it was, "...No."

Bruce quickly went and checked out the other vehicles. Only to discovered all of them had the same fate, including the ones under the sheets. Every single one of them had a part of it missing from it.

 _'This is no different than the Batsuits'_ The dark knight thought, _'Everything has been tarnished. Maybe that's why there were no cameras in here...but still...there are some of the other equipment in the Batcave that can still could do damage?'_

In his last moments in the room, Bruce decided he would check back on the vehicles to see if he could savage any parts for his armor. Which there was. He finally did find something that could fix some parts of his armor, including some of the missing pieces of it. Struggling a bit, he took them out without any need of tools and collected as much as his armor needed. The Dark Knight soon went into the batsuit room where he spotted his untouched armor. Nothing was out of place and not even the armor had been move since he left it. He placed the parts beside it onto the table and took the other damage parts off the armor. He was thinking of fixing it, but the intense feeling of curiously only consume him with the question if the bat computer was also damaged.

Not able to contain himself, Bruce left the armor behind in the Batsuit room and walked towards the main computer that older Bruce Wayne use to used. He wanted to place his mind at ease if the computer was also destroy and was completely dead as the rest of the Batcave. Standing in front of the many small computer screen to largest middle main one. He discovered that the smooth surface platform in front of him was covered in thick layer of dust. The surface platform looked as if it hadn't been used in many years and there was no sign that the dust had ever been disturbed, _'like the Wayne Manor used to be before it got cleaned.'_

Brushing the dust off, Bruce tried to figure out how to turned the computer on. He pressed anything he could find that nearly looked as close to button as he could. But the whole surface platform didn't had any evidence that indicate that it had an old keyboard. No matter what he pressed, moved, or touched nothing seem to turned it on. Bruce went around the computer to see if any of the wires were missing, but everything seems to be fine. Everything seem to be plug in correctly and he even open some of the cases where the computer system were and found nothing missing.

Deep in thought, the dark knight went over to the leather chair and sat back on it like he used to do many times in the past, but he forgot that there was a layer of dust that coated the seat. Suddenly, a puffed of dust went up into the air and it surround Bruce everywhere, as he accidental inhale the dust into his lugs. It causing Bruce to have a fit of coughs echoing through the Batcave, and then the dust finally subsided. Bruce shook his head from his own stupidity for a few moments of the lack of memory that this wasn't his chair, "That was smart, Bruce."

Letting the surrounding silences consume him, he stared at the blank computer screens for a good while. _'Was the power shut down? No, there are lights everywhere in here. The elevator seems to move just fine. Nothing seem to be missing and everything is in order...'_ Truth was, he doesn't know how old this computer was or what year this Earth could be in. Sure, there were dates on articles and display cases, but he literally doesn't know what the year was right now, _'...Seem to me, the museum was closed for a very long time, but how long it was closed was the real question?' It was disturbing enough that sends chills down Bruce's spine._

Whatever the year was in this world, he had the feeling that he had to find that answer by himself. Most Jokers would love to give their secrets away as long as Batman payed attention to them, but that was where the sad Joker was different from his counter parts. He doesn't. Unlike other Jokers, the sad joker doesn't even give Bruce any slight clues. Not even a joke to go with the hint.

 _'Beside that he hinted that he wants me here_.' That was the only clue that the sad Joker gave him, but Bruce would've known that by the way the clown flirted with him. Jokers were lonely beings, but the sad Joker was even lonelier, ' _ _Until spring comes or his friend's come out, I won't know if Joker really was the only being here__.'

After a lot of thought, there was only one answer that came up to him about how to turn on the computer. It was risky and he doesn't know if it will trigger anything inside the computer, but at least he'll give it a try. He stood up and pretended to touch anything on the surface platform in case something was watching him and then he got Oracle to switch back on.

 _'Oracle, see if this old computer can go back online again. Find any system necessary to connect to this home computer.'_ Bruce watched carefully as Oracle went through coding after coding. It took a painfully slow fifteen minutes, but Oracle finally cracked the coded and the computer turned on. The Dark Knight quickly glanced up to see the desktop back to working order.

Bruce was ecstatic to have one thing working in the Batcave that he let out one single laugh, _'Finally, finally, something I can work with.'_ He set back down in the leather chair and moved his fingers across the flat surface. Everything about this computer had a touch screen detector, which he was gladly used to and he quickly open a couple of files from the desk top. The first thing he checked was the year the computer’s calendar set on in the corner of the screen. Confused, the date wasn’t what he hoping for to see.

"...What? 1939? Must be a error. The computer mustn't had been shut off for so long that it needs to reset itself"

The dates on the articles set back as far as 2008 and stopped at 2034. Which was still just as confusing and if that were true..How old would the sad Joker be? But this was a world with three Jokers, so how old were any of them be? The computer data must be out of whack and just needed to be upgraded, but for now, he wanted to check the data that still linger inside the computer.

Bruce checked into the global network to find any information about the outside world  surveillance, but the data only came out as disconnected. Disappointed, he went to the next best thing, the massive information data about his villains and allies folders. Hitting the jack pot, there were thousands of folders of people in Gotham. The cops, their families, the gangsters, etc. were all here, but he ignored all those files. He wanted the villains first. He could feel his heart pounding with excitement inside his chest when he went straight into Joker's file, but at the same time he had to be ready if these files were tampered with a long time ago.

The Joker file soon came up and open in front of him. Bruce couldn't help but take a closer look to Joker's features and information.

"...No." The Dark Knight narrow his brows as he glared at the screen.

The Joker in front of him was just one Joker. That would be the short hair psychopath, while there wasn't any more photos of the other two and that including the sad Joker, _'You mean to tell me that my older self didn't notice there were three Jokers?'_ Bruce pulled up the written report by his older self and read the content.

The information Bruce got from it was something he already knew, while the other parts were surprising, "He killed Jason and shot Barbara Gordon and placed Jim Gordon naked in a roller coaster? Then he cut off his face for no reason and kidnap the Bat-family?"  
  
Yeah, that sorta sounds right. Even though Bruce didn't got the chance to go through this event himself, but he knew enough that the Joker wanted to out stage themselves. Or maybe...out stage the other Jokers.  

"...Jason died young...only age of 13." Bruce whispered to himself. It never came to his mind that Bruce wanted to drag any child into his dark world. Especially, what that dark world had done to him, Pennyworths, Dick and Jason. Once Jason and Dick made up their mind that they wanted to do same crime fighting as him, Bruce already send them to be trained by the same master that taught him. Even then, Dick already had his costume made and name, while Jason was still working on his. But Bruce was still against having his two sons fight crime, and yes, he was no better than Evelena trying to get the two boys to change their minds. He knew he was hypocrite.

But there was no such thing as a Robin in his world...

The first time he met a _Robin_  was when he was forced to live in another world, called Earth-364. Where gears, bolts, nuts, screws and steams were abundant in this world. A home to a Steampunk Gotham city and with their full steam-driven armor Batman lived. He took 1109 into his world when 1109 had no where to go. Instead of a Batcave, he had an abandoned, underground bunker that was left over from the wars.   

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"A bird to fight crime?" Leaning against the cold metal wall inside an around shape room, 1109 hadn't moved from his spot since he was dragged in there. There was platform bed on the right side on the wall, but there was no indication that 1109 had ever used it. The smell of decay, alcohol and filth linger in the miserable air. His batsuit was completely trashed and had scares left by a horrific event that happen to him two months ago and he didn't seem to be taking it off anytime soon. His cowl hang behind his neck like it had been forgotten and his beard grew into a disgusting mess. Brushing his greasy and unwashed hair back, 1109 only snarled at the young boy in front of him, "...That’s ridiculous."

"No, not that kind of bird. A side kick hero!" Robin stared down at him through his green goggles at the hopeless, depressed and empty Batman. He wore a yellow long scarf and red uniform that had eight buttons to each side and green canvas airship pants. He wore some sort of gear on him, but he wasn’t sure what. It might be connected to his strange wings behind him.

Robin had been watching 1109 wasting away inside his room since he got here. The other Batmans gave him time to grieve of his dead world, while other Batmans tried to have him snap out of his self pity. But Robin took pity towards 1109 since he had practically lost the will to live and the only thing 1109 had left of his world was his ruin batsuit. Robin thought at least he could do was to comfort him, until he found out that this Batman didn't know what a Robin was.

"Robins, like me, fight crime and assist their Batman, sir."

When the dark knight first started to notice the muttering noise in the background, it was three weeks ago, and the voice had bloom into an annoying monologue of nonsense. When 1109 finally tune into the racket in his room, he noticed that there was a small child in a costume trying to talk to him. Since then, this **_**_Robin_**_** , kept talking to him every day. The young boy always kept bringing him food and water for him, even the ones that the ex-vigilante hadn't touched. But Robin took it away and always brought him a new one. He doesn't understand this kid. He should go back to his own Batman and leave him alone. 

"...You. Frighting crime? Aren't you a bit too young for that shit?"

"Not at all. I love hitting bad guys in the face. You should've seen me take down the Riddler." The young boy held his fist up proudly and made a pose for it, "Batman and Robin will always keep Gotham City safe."

1109 couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did other Batmans really made children fight some of their battles for them? No, this must be one of those kids that have an active imagination to be a hero like their fathers.

"Run along, kid. Play your hero game somewhere else." The dark knight turned his back to the child and planned to ignore him.

"It's not a game! I'm telling you the truth, sir!" Robin waited for an answer to come, but only to receive silences. That made the little bird angry that 1109 doesn't believe him, "You know what's weird about you. Your a Batman with no Robin and not only that. You don't even have a Bat symbol on your chest! What kind of Batman are you? How does commissioner Gordon connect you?"

With a huge sigh, 1109 turned back to the annoying Robin," Because, **_**_Robin_**_** , if you were a real hero, you know that Batmans, or me for that matter, supposed to be the monster of the night that strike fear into the lives of criminals. I wasn't suppose to be seen by anyone and not even detective Gordon. What do you think would happen if people did see me?" He watched Robin turning his wheels inside his head, "They would take me as a joke, a freak in costume, and that wouldn't strike fear to criminals. If I wanted to talk to Gordon I would've stayed as a detective. So, there is no point for a symbol on my chest when no one was suppose to see me...No one should." 1109 glared at the stun boy. He would've had said more, but he had to remind himself that he was talking to a thirteen year old. Even then, 1109 had been seen by the villains a couple of times in his world, which did ruin the fear factor.

Robin stood there in silences and wasn't too sure what to say, "Well...we still strike fear in the hearts of the criminals! Doesn't explain why you don't have a Robin, which doesn't make you a real Batman."

At that moment, 1109 gave up and had his last words to the kid, before he closed his eyes, "...Well, kid. In that sense, I'm no longer a Batman."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bruce shook out of his memory of the past and pushed shut Joker's files down, and search for any indication about his older self's reports last days. Strangely, a lot of folders were empty and they seem to be missing, _'Like I thought, it had been tampered with.'_

Abruptly, the computer became static and shut down automatically.

Stunned, Bruce doesn't understand how the computer could automatically shut down. He tried to get Oracle to come back online, but nothing happen, _'...Oracle, Oracle come back on.'_ But nothing seem to be working.

A static charge started to fill the empty air surrounding the Batcave, and Bruce felt his hair stand up on the back of his neck. The cold silence started to become suffocating and it made it hard for Bruce to breathe. The farthest lights started to shut down one by one as it came closer to Bruce. The dark knight stood away from his chair and watched the lights creep closer to him before the one above him was the only luminous on.

Bruce stood ready to fight whatever might come out from the darkness. He checked his surrounding ever second he could and tried to hear any movement that might come near him. Without Oracle, he was just human being at the mercy of the darkness. 

A dark, threatening feeling came over Bruce inner senses and causing him to have goosebumps to form all over his body. He could feel the piercing eyes watching his every move, but he couldn't find the owner them.The dark knight noticed nothing was reflecting from the light he was in. All he saw was the abyss of blackness. Whatever it was, it was thick and surrounds him like a shadow. The last thing Bruce wanted was to stay down here in the company of creature that lingers in the Batcave.

"...Come out, whoever you are?" Bruce wasn't going to fear the one thing that he spend half of his life into. When nothing responded to him, he tried again to speak with it,"I don't mean no harm," He paused and stared into the darkness. He wished and hoped he was really talking to some _ _one__  not some _thing_ , "…I just wanted to know some answers that doesn’t make sense in this world."

The silences and the threatening feeling still remained around him. The minutes felt like hours as Bruce tried to figure out what could it be lying on the other side. Then there was a soft mumbling whispers that could be heard in the distances. It almost sound like children...or people, but he wasn't sure since they seem to be talking over each other. He tried to cypher in what their saying, but it only sounded like gibberish nonsense.

A great force shoved against Bruce's chest causing him to fly backwards across the room towards the step of the stairs. The flaring pain from his ribs ached and bring Bruce into a slight shock, but he force himself to snap out of it. Forcing himself to stand up, the dark knight went up the stairs quickly towards the exit and made it into the Study room. Bruce panted and held his rib lightly. Then he heard the entrance of the Batcave closing and he glanced over to find it shut.

Shocked and disbelief, he stared at the entrance. He wasn't sure what just happen and what could be possibly down there. Every question ran through his mind in epic speed, but soon got disrupted with the raging pain bringing him back into realty. Bruce started to sweat and pant as he leaned against the book shelves for support. Suddenly, Oracle appeared at his sight and alerted him about the cameras again in the study room.

 _'Whatever was in there...holds my armor.'_ He thought grimly, _'What in this world am I messing with here?'_

 


	5. Whispering Silences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading my story! I'm enjoy writing this as much you guys are reading it! I had to step back and go to the Multiverse map, since iI was confused where was what. It was hard for me to grasp how DC universe works. I wanted to make the story as rich and yet fun as possible as we get to know Bruce and Joker. =^-^=

Silences.

Silences was starting to be the most dreadful sound that Bruce had ever had the pleasure to listen, too. What was once a comfort to him, was now an eerie haunting spirit that follows him throughout his travels. As more times than one, it usually indicates that something nightmarish was about to happen sooner or later. An invisible, yet slow count down before everything unravels itself before him. The same kind of silence that ruled over Earth-663.

Bruce hates it. He hates to be reminded of anything of Earth-663 or the Dark Multiverse. Yet, this world gave him that same vibe. The same hidden fear that he doesn't want to admit was there. He was never the same since those worlds. More careful, less naive and more compassionate than he ever once was, but his dreams were still filled with nightmares of 663.

Here. Yet here again. In this silences, he was paralyzed in its ghostly grip just waiting to finally drag him into the abyss.

The only sound that Bruce was able to hear from the surrounding silences, was his own slow panting of his own breath and the heart thumbing in between his ears. Sweat rolled down at the side of his cheek, as he gently held his agonizing rib. It felt like his rib had been broken from the fierce force that fling him across the room. It won't be a surprised. His icy blue eyes never seem to leave the book shelf that contain the hidden door behind it. He felt his whole body shake uncontrollable, but he took a slow painful breath to calm his nerves down.

What was that?

Whatever Joker was hiding inside the batcave wasn't two hyenas, but something...unearthly. What could it be? Any guess could be better than nothing. To Bruce, it could be anything. It wasn't the first time he felt the force like that, but the energy behind it depend on solidly on the worlds themselves. It could either be paranormal, magic, or high-tech science. It could even be the devil himself.

Standing up straight, Bruce slowly and carefully walked over towards the bookshelf and he stood in front of it. He placed a close ear towards the shelf and hoping he could hear anything moving inside by the sounds of the cave's echos. But there was no sound of movement. Nothing indicate that there was anything in there.

Pulling away, Bruce searched for the switch that could open the batcave entrance. He touched every book he lay his hand on, pulling and tugging on each book he thought his older self might use.

Why does he even want to open it?

He even thought that himself. Which was crazy. But if the Earth-663 had taught him anything...It's never to ignore the monsters hidden in the shadows. They will hunt him down unexpectedly, unless he hunts them instead. He needed to know what he might be dealing with and he wasn't done with the batcave just yet. And to share it with a creature that he wasn't sure was from this realm? It was quite unnerving. But it could also be the one clue he was searching for on what kind of planet this might be.

No matter which book he pulled, nothing seem to open it. It might be better this way, since his pain reminded him that he wasn't capable of any combat battles or surprises.

'Just leave it alone,' He told himself, when he felt the sharp pain stab at him. He turned away from the book self, _'I'll deal with it later...'_

Walking out of the study room, the Dark knight slowly made his way back to his bedroom to collect his own thoughts. When he open the door, something black caught his eye and giving him a fright, but also he was in a battle stand against it. The black figure stood close to the window and it doesn't seem to move. Looking closely, Bruce recognize it was his batsuits settling on a male mannequin.

Bruce wasn't sure what to make of it. As he grew closer, he saw that his batsuit was clean and the tears and the holes were gone. The batsuit was completely restored. It looked brand new since the day he got it from futuristic Gotham from Earth-12.

All the color faded from Bruce's face, and he quickly check out the suits wires, his gauntlet and the computer programming in his cowl. The raging fear that his batsuit would be tinker with felt like a mini dooms day.

"Everything is...in working order?" Relief and confused, Bruce checked again to make sure that nothing was tampered with. The wires that were broken before were now fixed. He place his cowl onto his head and checked the programming. What was annoying glitches in his programming before were now gone. Everything seem to be fine and nothing was hacked into it, __'_ But why? Why fix this one batsuit for me? ' _

What was the reason? Wasn't he supposed to be trapped here and try not to get away? Wasn't this the point of all the clues he saw so far? Won't it be bad for Joker to have him use his batsuit against him? If they can restore programs, why haven’t they hack into his armor before? He doesn't understand the paradox of this world.

Questions kept spinning around his mind, as Bruce went over to the chair and sat down slowly. He felt the pain shock through his body again and Bruce already knew it was going to be one of those days. Where he won't be able to get comfortable with anything he sat on. His rib was becoming a hinder nuisance.

Bruce took a deep breath and held it. He moved his hand to the area of his rib and placed pressure on it. The intense pain roar through out his sensitive nerves and his fingers revealed that his rib was indeed broken. He sighed miserably and rubbed his face with his hand. Stress was going to kill him first.

"I can't get a break..." He told himself. He felt the heavy burden of his thoughts and emotions weighing on his heart and soul. He had to go back to meditating. Its what saved his mental health from the nightmare worlds that he had been going through. Without it, he would've had snapped a long time ago. He needed relief from the stress and clear his mind and body, "...I might as well...it's been awhile."

Sitting onto the ground very slowly, he took some of the pain-killers he had in his pocket and swallow them dry. He begin to crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees and made a somewhat quarter lotus. He placed a timer within Oracle and closed his eyes. He focus on his breathing and let his mind become clear. For a half an hour of meditating, Bruce heard the gentle alarm came on and bring himself back to reality. He did felt better and the pain was slightly subsided. The Dark Knight decided to look out the window to finish the calming practice.

Outside, the pure, white snow was very blinding against his eyes as he adjust to the brightness of the landscape. The sky was overcast and it seem the clouds would never dissipate anytime soon. The falling snow had stop hours ago making a clear view of the property. Down below, he noticed a small, garden shack that had piles of cut up wood stack against the wall. It was quite big and it seem it wasn't in use for a very long time. A couple of miles away on a hill top, was a old barn that had been decaying against the years of weather. What seem to had been painted red years ago, had been faded away into a grimy, ash color and on the roof top, peeking through thick snow, was a gray, rusted metal roof. Whatever fence was there had been long fallen to the ground as forgotten wood. It was quiet the haunting sight for the barn.

The Dark Knight glanced at the young, black tree standing by itself further away from the shack. It seem to be well taken care of by the look of the pruning. Surround the tree were snow lumps that indicate that it had stones underneath it, _' Maybe I should go outside...I know I shouldn't be moving around with the condition of my rib, but...I won't be able to know if anything is alive out there if I was to stay here. Beside the creature in the batcave, or those who are behind the cameras won't be showing themselves anytime soon...'_

Bruce needed to get out of the manor. He needed a change of scenery and a breath of fresh air. It will get him away from the cameras and away from the captive emotions.

He headed to his drawers and took out a gray, thick sweater and a long, black jacket from the closet. He reached for a long, crimson scarf from the coat hanger and wrapped it around his scarred neck. He grabbed the boots from the rack and gloves from another drawer. With great painful difficulty, he dressed himself nicely. He was ready to go outside.

Headed downstairs past the grand hall to the foyer, he placed his gloves on and open the door to the welcoming embrace of the crisp winter air. The frost gently kissed every part of his face leaving a stain, pink flush onto his cheeks and nose. His misty breath soon dissolve into the air every time it tried to escaped from his lugs. He went down a couple of stairs that he didn't noticed before when he first came here. Bruce decided he was going to walk around the building and see the backyard.

Walking along at the side of the building, Bruce glanced up at the towering tan, brown brick wall. It truly looked like a small castle with the many windows and the many hidden rooms yet still need to be explored. One of those room might be holding Joker's alibi. But there was another thought that creeping into Bruce's mind.

"...It could be another Arkham Asylum if no one had told me this was Wayne Manor."

* **Bing** *

Just in cue, Oracle alerted of three cameras that were screwed to the side of the building's stone wall. Finally, cameras that were in plain sight and weren't hidden away. But there was something different about these cameras. They all looked slightly new, but a black stained had left a mark on the stone wall indicated that the original ones had been blown up. Bruce stared at the cameras carefully, even though it pretend it wasn't on for years. Oracle proven that they were just as active as the ones inside and just as watchful over him.

For now, Bruce ignore the upcoming cameras on the other side of the building and saw the huge black forest in the backyard. It caught the Dark Knight by surprised that the forest stood in straight rows.

"...Human made forest?" Coming closer to one of the trees, Bruce noticed how black the trees truly were. It was the color of burnt coal and they all go into perfect order of fashion. Looking up, he noticed it doesn't had a lot of branches and twigs like most trees do. The bark had veins twisting and webbing around its thick trunk that flow towards the top. He had never seen a tree like this in his travels before, not even the ones that Poison Ivy had made in her power. It wasn't her style of a plant. Not as colorless.

The Dark Knight looked across the row and saw no debris of fallen, or dead tree resting on the ground. Not even as much as a branch or twig peaking out of the snow. The forest was clear, but it had an aura with a sinister and eerie feel to it, like it was from a scene in a horror movie. And it doesn’t help that the deathlike silences rule over the winter air.

He stood there contemplative for a minute, if he should follow the row of trees, or search more around the building. Taking the risk, Bruce walked forward and had the trees leaded him to the unknown. He felt a bit tense of his surrounding, but he doesn’t let his emotions get to him.

After awhile, Bruce stopped and glanced back behind him to see the process of how far he was from the Wayne Manor. It was a pretty distance away, but he could still see a bit of the wall of the building.

No matter where Bruce turned, the rows of trees had surround his every vision. There was no end to the black, thick trees and the only way back was the one he came from. He had to be careful not to get lost here, since none of these trees had any instinctive looked to them. The only way he knew to get back was the trail of foot prints that he left behind in the snow. He knew this wasn’t a good idea and it was stupid not to leave any sort of markings onto the trees, just in case that the snow fall happened to start. But, he had this strange feeling that even if he did get lost…something will come for him.

Feeling a little dangerous, Bruce egg on into the forest.

After awhile, Bruce eerily noticed that there was no disturbance of any kind in the white snow beside his own foot prints and the snow that fallen from the branches above. He kept in mind to find any other animal tracks that might have happen to be left behind in the snow. But there wasn't even a mouse or a squirrel tracks anywhere. But it was too early to judge and it could be covered from the snow fall from before.

 _'...Very unsettling...I wonder how far it goes?'_ He pondered _ _.__ Joker wasn't going to be back in a couple of hours and Bruce had been kicked out of the batcave. So, he wasn’t worry about time and he had nothing better to do in the manor anyway. He might as well, if he was lucky, find something different about this world.

And he was desperate to see any other living life form beside Joker.

He felt that he walked on for a good hour or so, and he noticed the trees were slowly become smaller and smaller the further and deeper he went. Until the trees were the same kinda height as he was.

Bruce came to a halt and saw that the small trees were going up against a hill and over it. He started to move forward and climbed up the hill to the very top. Once he reached it, he came upon landscape before him. Down below, the tiny trees stretches out on a big field and melted into small lumps of snow. Further in the distance was an natural forest that stretches out beyond the rest of the landscape. It was truly breath taking and quite the odd sight to see. He was quite amazed that someone went through all this trouble and placed this much effort into planting the ominous trees here.

But why?

These trees looked sickly and they appeared to be burnt. And they weren't even pleasant to look at. If anything, they're creepy. They felt like that they should belong to the Dark Multiverse. Either way, who was he to judge on someone else taste? He doesn’t know if these trees turned out to be beautiful in the up coming spring.

Enjoying the landscape before him, Bruce devoured the cold, gentle breeze that settle into the calmness in the air. As much as he hated the deathlike silences, he tried to look beyond that and search for the good in the planet. After awhile, he turned around and saw the landscape behind him. It show which part of this 'human-made' forest was the newest to the oldest. Since the trees grow bigger towards the Wayne Manor.

"Interesting, " He breathe out. He stared at the haunting, twisted form of the landscape.

The Dark Knight glanced over to the tree next to him and touched its rough branches to collect the information through his finger tips.  _'Oracle, are these trees poisonous?'_

_No. There were no component indicate that they’re anything poisonous about them._

_'For something that looks so twisted…was just nothing?'_ In disbelief, he touched the tree to see if anything happens, but nothing did. The snow that cling onto the branches fall to the ground. As the gray clouds looked threatened for another snow fall, Bruce settled to walking back to the manor.

Half way through the forest, a dreadful feeling washed over him that bring him into a halt. Bruce recognized this feeling. He doesn't move, but he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and the same electricity suffocating the air. He was not mistaken as it was the same kind disturbance back at the batcave. That unpleasant feeling of being watched roamed every part of his being.

It followed him out here.

Bruce glanced around to catch sight of this thing, but the only thing he saw was the thick trees. He noticed a bit of mist crawling past the forest and it felt like the trees was enclosing onto him. He tried hard not to listen to his own heart beating against his chest or his own quickening sounds of his breath. He had to calm down. He needed to calm down. He searched around for something to defend himself with and saw a breach sticking out from a awkward tree. He quickly went over to it and break off the branch. He quickly turned back to his surrounding holding the stick in hand as a weapon.

The Dark Knight doesn't see anything remotely different from his surrounding. He even looked above him to see if the creature was there, but found nothing. No matter where he turned or looked. Nothing seem to happen, but he could still feel its intense stare.

“I know your out there!” Bruce yelled out, “Why don’t you show yourself?!”

Nothing.

Nothing, but the silence was his only answer.

Nothing happen for a couple of minutes and it was only making Bruce angry, _‘Why doesn’t it want to show itself? What does it get out of it from hiding from me?’_

Bruce lower his stick, but kept his eyes moving around everywhere. In the mean while, he kept feeling this odd warmth against his gloves and he couldn’t shake it off. He wonder why it was, until he glanced down on his hand. From the stick oozed out a black, tar like liquid onto his hand. Bruce stared at it and drop the stick into the snow. The tar felt warm to the touch.

“What is this?” He cringed, as he wasn’t sure what he was witnessing, “Is this tree sap?”

He turned back to the tree where he broke the stick from and he saw the missing piece was oozing out the same thick liquid, _‘Oracle, is this poisonous?’_

_No. It is not poisonous. The substance is unknown._

Great.

Bruce took off his gloves and used it to cleaned the tar off his hands, but it wasn’t coming off very easily. It felt sticky to the touch and it stained part of his palm. He shoved his gloves into his pockets and try again to clean the tar off with the snow. The snow took some parts of the tar, but not a lot of it. He’ll have to wash his hands later on.

Bruce stood back up and went back to searching for the creature, _‘All that built up for nothing. A world where creatures hide away and not attack? Joker must really have them on a leash.’_ When nothing seem to appear around him, the Dark Knight started to head back quickly towards the manor.

It was only fifteen minutes walking through the row of trees, when a soft, thick snowflakes touched against Bruce’s blushed cheek. The Dark Knight glanced upwards to witness some flakes falling from the gray, miserable sky.

Then something caught his eye, as one of the tree in particular had little bit of snow on its trunk. As Bruce grew closer to it, he noticed that there was symbol underneath the patch of snow. Brushing it away, he realized that there was a circular symbols made by the bark's veins. He doesn't recognized the symbol shape inside of it, as it only appeared to be a zig-zag sharp line with dots on either side.

"...Strange..." Bruce narrow his brows, _'I haven't seen these markings before?'_ It's not like he didn't seen something remotely the same, but it usually suggest of spells, witchcraft, or something else, but he could be wrong. Needing to analyze the clue further, he decided he was going to take a photo in two setting. Both in normal and in magic flow setting.

 _'Oracle, take two photos in normal and M.F. right now,'_ He simply just had to stare at the symbol and a little pretend flash happen before his eye. Oracle had finished taking the photos.

Suddenly, something black moved quickly across one of the trees in the corner of Bruce's eyes. He spotted it in time to sprung into action. The Dark Knight quickly ran after it behind the tree, but to his disappointed. Nothing was there. Not even a foot imprint was left behind in the snow.

This was getting frustrating. Was it a human, a monster, or a spirit?

"Come out! Why are you even hiding?!" Bruce yelled out, in hope he could catch a glimpse of this thing, "Come out! Joker can't be the only one living in the manor. Show yourself!" Bruce doesn't mean to sound so angry and desperate, but he wanted to see another life form. Whatever this was, it doesn’t matter to him. He wanted to see it, "Let me see you!"

But nothing happen.

The snow kept falling gracefully.

There wasn't even a whisper of voices he could hear from anywhere. Bruce knew it was still there as the feeling of being watched still remain. It seem that this thing only came out, because  it was keeping a personal eye on him.

"...I'll be returning to the manor!" Bruce growled in frustration and he could feel the air become calmer than before. Yes, it only wanted to watch him from the manor.

As the snowfall became thicker, Bruce moved forward to the up coming manor. Soon enough, he made it back in time just as his foot prints faded away into the winter snow.

Bruce forgot that there was wooden balcony with stairs leaning up towards the kitchen's glass doors.

 _'I should have went through the kitchen’s doors to the backyard,'_ He reminded, completely peeved at himself. After what happen today, it did slipped away from his mind.

He was about to walk over when he spotted four large windows that connected to a huge room within. Curiously, he went over towards the windows and placed a hand over its icy glass surface to stop the reflection from behind. He was right and it was a large room. It was the living room and it had two doors that connected to the grand hall.

The warm, light brown walls had a pleasant feel in the room. Sitting in the middle, were two large, comfy couches facing one another and resting on the couch’s armrest were two gray pillows. In between them was a beautiful, glass coffee table, while underneath was a Persian carpet laying across the wooden floor. The floor was hidden by a blanket of thick dust and the corners were layer with cobwebs. Bruce wasn't sure what the color of the floor was, but this room had told him it was years of neglect. Onto the right side of the wall was an impressive large fireplace facing the side of the couches. In the background, were drawer and table that were grape in white sheets.

What peaked Bruce most interested was that there were a pair of stairs leading up into the unknown rooms above. He couldn’t make out what they might be up there, but it was enough for him to try to open this room first later on. Then he spotted something. Something that pump his heart with excitement.

There, on the stairs and to the door way, was the evidence of a clearing of a path way of dust. Someone had been using those stairs. Someone had been going in and out from this room. Was it the clown? Maybe. But what was the reason for him to be in here? What’s in those rooms above? The Dark knight couldn't help, but get excited with this turn of the event.

In the reflection of the glass, the black blur moved across to the next tree in near seconds. Bruce quickly looked behind him to try to catch any sight of the black blur. When he saw nothing nor any impression in the snow, Bruce decided he would just leave it. It would be a waste of time to chasing after nothing. It wasn't going to show itself anytime soon anyway.

The Dark Knight decided he wanted to see the other side of the manor and even check out that large shack over there. He went past the balcony only to be stopped in his tracks by a very low, soft growl. Bruce tried to searched for the owner of the voice, but saw nothing. The air around him was beginning to tense and become threatening. When he tried to ignore the warning, he felt that force resting harshly against his chest. Warning him if he moved, he was about to fly again. Taking a deep slow breath, Bruce wasn’t going to test it any further and remained still. He doesn't want to make his rib any more worse than it already was.

 _'I really am a prisoner here,'_ Bruce gave into its warning and went back to the balcony, _'For now, I'll heed your warning.'_

The Dark Knight went up the stairs to the balcony and through the kitchen's door. Inside, Bruce felt the warmth welcoming him back against his face. He shut the door and started to take off his boots onto the mat and walked towards the foyer closet to take off his jacket and scarf. He placed them onto a coat hanger.

Pushing his cold, wet hair back, Bruce had to get a towel to dry his hair quickly, so he won't end up being ill and to wash his hands from the black tar. He sighed, he really doesn't want to travel all the way up the stairs for the bathroom. No, he had to search for one down here, because yesterday he forgot all about doing that.

Searching around the foyer, he spotted another door to the other side of the wall and he curiously open it. Thinking it might be another closet, but ending up being another small bathroom. To Bruce’s relief, it was one of those bathrooms that were ‘just in case’ someone needed to go before they leave.

Bruce smiled a bit, "Well, that was easy."

It was nice small bathroom with soft color blue walls. It only had a toilet and a white sink with a small mirror above it. On the wall was a small shelf that had some towels neatly folded and under the sink was a little drawer full of toilet paper and soap.

He went inside and turned on the water from the sink. He took the soap and started to scrub his palms raw. Whatever the tar was had barely came off from his hands. The black stain was the only remaining substance left on his palm. He decided that it was as good as it gets when trying to wash it off. He grabbed himself a towel and started drying his hands and hair.

Once Bruce finished, he came out and tried to searched for the time. He spotted a couple of father clocks around the grand hall, either in the corner or nailed to the wall. He noticed that most of the father clocks tick in random directions and he couldn't even relay any digital clocks either, since the time seem to remain still. Oracle’s setting was still on Earth-108’s time and she couldn't even detected any other time since then.

_‘Its as if…time barely moves here.’_

Even the days seem to function in a weird way. What felt like eight hours of day light seem to be short over to the ten hours of night time. Did this world even function around the 24 hours time, or more? He couldn't tell. He was guessing most of the time.

 _'I’ll have to talk to Joker about this later....What should I keep myself occupied with?'_ As he pondered, a nagged feeling of famine slowly ached inside his stomach. Surrendering to his body needs, he decided he should eat lunch. 

Heading into the kitchen, Bruce went straight into the fridge and spotted a plate filled with different slices of sandwiches and cut up cheese, carrots, and celery. Bruce took the plate and placed it on the island on his spot. Taking off the plastic wrapper, he noticed there was tuna sandwich and a normal sandwich of black forest ham with vegetable.

 _'...I got to give it to Joker. He's quiet creative cook...if that is..he even made it.'_ He stared at the delicious dish _ _,_ 'but I'm starting to look forward to it on anything he made.' After jumping into wasteland after wasteland of planets, this kind of food felt like heaven to him. He got himself a glass of apple juice and set down._

Once Bruce finished and placed his dishes into the sink, he wandered into the grand hall and halted his steps. He realized that he didn't had any full inspection of the information in the display cases of the grand hall. Not wasting anymore time, he goes through the Wayne's family history book that sat on a stand near his family portrait.

He open the book to the first pages and than kept going _ _,_ 'Older Bruce's family used to be settlers from Europe 1800s and had come to Gotham. Yes, they were from a noble people, and yes, they made a living and was...' _He sighed, he heard most of this story before and it was becoming redundant to Bruce. How the Wayne family had wealth and how they gained more of it, et cetera.

This wasn't really impressive to him anymore. There were countless of rich Wayne family across the Multiverse and that included himself. Even though, he himself, wasn't as rich as most Bruce Waynes in other worlds was. But there would be those rare stories of Batman where they had to start from scratch. If anything, 1109 most favorite and unique Multiverse Batman was from Earth-211. A poor Batman that lived in the streets of Gotham and had to build himself up to becoming a Macgyver Batman.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Earth-48, called Multiversity, a world where heros of all kinds dedicated their lives into protecting the other Multiverses. 1109 had been living here for four years now and his signed job was usually collecting data and investigating for disturbance in the vibration throughout the universe. He would find clues which world tried to crossover to which, or if bigger threat was coming. But lately, its usually the Flash running around everywhere. It irritated 1109 when the fast bastard jumps from one world to the next.  

Losing patient, he took a break and went out of the office to an open massive room of the Multiversity station. It had many open rooms and floors that could be seen across the platforms like one open giant mall. The building was circular and made up of glass and steal which had an amazing view of the forest landscape. Above the white platform were a giant hallow-gram alerting any world that was causing trouble and had to be monitored. There were hallow-grams of different worlds and different sizes floating everywhere. Heroes of all shape and sizes roamed every inch of the building. Including the air.

Ever since the day of the Dark Multiverse release upon the 51 worlds. It caused a great Awakening to all the universe and caused a great change in the Multiverse. It was a frightening moment for the whole Multiverse when the Darkverse attacked the original worlds, almost causing ripple of destruction throughout the vibration.

What was once only 51 worlds had been expanded to thousands or millions more worlds across the universe. Even now, more worlds were still being discovered each passing day.

Even though Earth-48 had always been the protectors of the Multiverse in the first place, it wasn’t prepared for the Darkverse. But now, the Multiversity made itself stronger and more prepared for any apocalypse event that might come to unseen doors. With such event had left many survivors from different Earths at the Mutiversity’s door steps.

1109 walked down the steps and saw an interesting rag Batman down below. The rag Batman was talking to another female version of The Flash.

“You don’t understand, I got to get back to my world! You have to take me back!” Pleaded the Rag Batman.  

The female Flash looked confused and worried to what to do, “I’m sorry, I don’t know how.”  
  
”It’s okay, “ 1109 made his way towards them. Both of them looked over to 1109 curiously.

“1109, thank goodness!” The Flash placed a hand to her chest and breath out a relief, “I’m so glad your here.”

“What happen, Lady?” The Dark Knight known the Lady Flash No.2 for awhile now, from Earth-334. She had her ups and downs, but her powers were quite unique to her own. Her speed causes her to have many magical adaptations for speed powers. One of them was energy absorption. Which she can steal speed and kinetic energy from her enemies.

“I accidentally pulled this Batman out from his world…with a little too much speed” She made a her fingers gesture for small with her word “little” and had an expression of “oops” to the end of it.

1109 didn’t seem too impressed with this information, “So, it was you running around the worlds?”

“Yes. I’m trying to get him home, but I feel so bad…”  
  
The Dark Knight glanced over to his counter part. The rag Batman’s cowl was made out of old hoody that had cat ears on top. It was stitched backwards with cut out eyes for him to see, but was hidden away with a pair of old goggles. His “cape” were nothing more than a teared up certain that acted like scarfs. He wore a thick black jacket that had a big, black belt wrapped around his waist. Leather bags hang off the belt and carried many things inside it. He even carried a backpack and his pants were wrapped together with cloth on his leg. Last, but not least, he wore a pair of black, old sneakers.

“Batman,” 1109 grabbed the attention of the Rag Batman, “Come with me. Lady Flash, you may go. ”

She nodded, “Thank you so much 1109, I own you one!” and she disappeared.

“...Um…”

The Dark Knight glanced back at the nervous Batman, “Don’t worry. I know how to get you home, but I need you to tell me more about yourself.” 1109 made a gesture for the Rag Batman to follow him. Having no other choice, the Rag Batman did.

The Rag Batman started the story of his life to 1109 as they walked through the building towards another bubble shape dome. They stop in a middle of a garden hallway.

"You're joking…” 1109 stared at the Rag dark knight in disbelief and amazement, “You lived your whole life on the Gotham’s streets. You never knew who your parents were...and you were raised by old, homeless man name Lucas Fox? You even made your costume from the streets?"

"Whoa whoa whoa. Slow down. “ He laughed slightly, “No, sir, No, I'm not joking. I really had to make my costume from old rags that I found in the dumpster. I used a dull knife to cut it up and sew it together."

"Where did you get the string?" question 1109. He was quite intrigued with him.

"I found some in the dumpers at the back of fabric land." He said while crossing his arms, "Then I used whatever I had around my surroundings for my weapons. I usually use my smarts to sneak around the bad guys or the shadow of the night. When I need to get away, I used my rope that I found in the ship yard. I find good nets there, too. I usually build my own stuff."

"You are like Macgyver. How do you even fight?"

"I learned from an old Chinese chief that tried to shoo me away from the garbage bin. He was really good at kung fu. I had to fight with him all the time, since the best place for me to eat was there. I always get my ass kicked, but the more I fought back, the more I noticed I was getting stronger and stronger."

1109 was quiet impressed, "When did you decided you wanted to fight crime?"

The rag Batman suddenly fell quiet. As 1109 thought he might had gone too far in his question, but he patiently waited for the answer. The Dark Knight could see the other Batman slipped into an emotional memory. The only sound that was made between them was the bustling noise in the background.

The rag Batman glanced back up to 1109, "I no longer could handle seeing the violence and the crime taking over Gotham city. My last straw was when I was laying in the ground on an ally way. I witness a murder in front of me that I would never forget. Just because one burglar wanted a woman's pearls, he shot this poor boy's parents dead. The father tried to fight back, but end up getting himself and his wife killed. After that, the man ran off leaving the young boy to his dead parents. He just cried and cried, shaking them and tried to get them to wake up. That scene...was truly heart breaking. That's the reason I fight crime. I wanted to fight crime for that boy."

"......" 1109 stared quietly at him with completely awe. A Batman where the event didn't happen to him, but instead witness it. That event gave him the motivation to go against crime. He had to admit, every time a Batman comes along, that event always happen to them or another somewhat similar tragic event. That included himself. But to have a Batman, like him, that had nothing to his name and even though he had such a sad past himself...had changed to be a hero for someone else.

He belongs here. He belong to being a hero.

These were one of those rare Batmans that came along and shake his whole being as Batman himself. They always end up to be the most amazing.

In a serious tone, 1109 placed a hand over his own heart, "You, sir, are my greatest hero than anyone here." He meant every word of it. He wanted him to know that everything he had done through would never climbed up against challenge of any heroes here in his eyes. Not even himself.  
  
Rag Batman was quiet at first as his silences had a gentleness to it, "...Thank you." He whispered and very touched by 1109 words.

Since that day, 1109 never hesitated to help Rag Batman with anything in his world. They taught many things with each other and whatever the other one needed.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bruce smiled fondly at his memory and hoped to one day meet his dear friend, again.

Skipping through pages, Bruce glanced through the photos as it goes by. Until he spotting the familiar barn in the photos. It read it used to be a hobby company of riding horses back in the 1800s. When 1920s came around, the Wayne family change their horses into sport breeds. Since the generation change over time, the Wayne's children were no longer interested in taking care of horses or carrying on the family legacy. The Wayne family had sold their horses to other farms and completely ending the Wayne's company of fine horses in Gotham.

After awhile, Bruce shut the book of the Wayne family history as he had enough of its content. He could always check back to it later, but at the moment, he doesn't have the patient for it. Bruce walked over to the glass cases and glanced at the many photos of people he found either familiar or new. He even stopped at the same Bat-family photo.

 _'...Damian Wayne.'_ He thought back. So far, he hadn't came across a Robin name Damian or the existence of Bruce's son, but he did came across a Batman with the similar name, __'_ I wonder if he is the same person?' _He had met with countless people with different names behind the Batman. But he wasn't so sure who was from what. He couldn't even tell them apart from the cowl unless their friends had spoke out their name. Either way, he knew a Batman name Damian and he was a giant dick. Him and 1109 would get into arguments most of the times.

Yet, there was still nothing here that he doesn’t already knew from the ball room. The grand hall was just a starting point to learn about who was Bruce Wayne and his Bat-family. While the ball room was more towards the action life style that Batman went through. 

Coming up to another bigger photograph was another larger Bat-family. This time it included Batwoman, Azrael, Red hood and many more. This was the photo he spotted Catwoman in when he first walked pass it. He never imagine Catwoman as part of the Bat-family, but he wasn't surprised by it either that she would join.

Batman and Catwoman never seem to be far away from each other in the Mutliveruse. Its as if they were drawn together like moth to a flame. Bruce doesn’t understand how they could even stand one another. Since he, himself, never saw any chemistry with his own Catwoman. She flirted with him, yes, but he knew it was part of her weapon. Sex appeal. Which only worked on those who crave it, but Bruce was never interested in her in order for it to work. He always saw her as she was. Thrill junkie.

Her love for the thrill was all that matter to her. She loves what she was and she only cared about the thrill of being chased and not getting caught for it. Even having the thrill of the forbidden love was exciting for her. But when it came down to any certain normal life. It was far too boring. 

Not to far away from this photo, Bruce spotted another photograph of Batman and Catwoman gazing into each others eyes under the full moon. Under that photo were two golden engagement rings resting on a white pillow.

The Dark Knight only glared at the engagement rings, _'How many times had I seen Bruce Wayne date, or married, or break up with Selina Kyles?'_

He lost count how many times he saw different versions of them. The good, the bad and the ugly. To the most perfect couple in the world...to Selina breaking up with Bruce just because she was bored out of her mind. It wasn't a pleasant sight for 1109 to even see. To him, it was like seeing into a future of possibilities of what might happen if he had to choose one of those different routes. Even the ones that weren’t even about Selina.

There were countless of different versions of love interest for Bruce Wayne and different versions of marriages of all kinds. That even included Batgirl, Black Canary, Harley and Ivy into the mix. There was even worlds where Lois Lane or Wonder Woman were his love interest. But the usual default it seems that the original Bruce Wayne was very fond of Selina in most Multiverse.

But not for 1109.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Why not?" Said a disbelief Alfred, while standing next to Bruce. Alfred took off his mask, but he wanted to hear everything how Bruce's night went with Catwoman.

They came back from the night's patrol and into the Batcave. It was like any other night in Gotham, but Bruce hit a snag. A furball snag. He had to spend most of his night chasing after Catwoman while Alfred had the fun fighting Scarecrow. He hated when she came around, it always cause Alfred to gush all over her.

Bruce took his cowl off with his face looked utterly annoyed, "I'm not having this conversation again, Alfred. She just not my type. Period. The End. Fin." He walked away from his best friend and placed his cowl on top of the table.

"Oh come on, chap! How can she not?! She is bloody fit! Those beautiful long legs, man! Oh, that smooth body that glisten in the night! Just perfect!" He placed his hand over his chest as if Catwoman stolen his heart once again. He walked over to Bruce who was undressing his batsuit and the Dark Knight seem to be even more annoyed the more Alfred came closer, "And those perfect round buttocks." Alfred made hand gestures as if he was pretending to squeezing those lovely buttocks.

"Next time, you chase her and I fight scarecrow, " Bruce snapped, "Its completely clear that she is your type." Finishing undressing his batsuit, he saw Alfred was in the middle of his Seeker suit zipper.

This was Bruce opportunity to get away from him and towards the showers. Bruce turned on the shower head and started to twisted the cold and hot knobs to the right temperature.

"Oh, if only." Said the appearing voice from behind the Dark Knight, "I would chase her to the ends of the Earth if I would. If that is..." Alfred paused and came to his own shower head next to Bruces’, "She wasn't so into you, Master Bruce"

Bruce sighed and let himself drown underneath the hot water in hopes to block out Alfred’s voice. He knew this was coming. Every time Catwoman showed up, Alfred would tried to egg him on into courting her, "I said I wasn't interest in her!"

"Oh come on, chap! She completely up for it when its comes to you. Maybe...you should...get this...flirt back." Bruce could hear the grinning smile in his voice."And see where the magic takes you."

Bruce took his face away from the shower and glared harshly at his best friend. Alfred does take a great joy into annoy him, but he had to pretend to not see those daggers in Bruce’s eyes that he was giving him.   
  
"Fine," mumbled Alfred. He started to wash himself with soap."If Poison Ivy is your thing, I guess I'll root for you."

"You do realized these are deadly women that you are talking about. You know, the type that wants to kills us and throw us underneath the moving bus for good measures? " Bruce spoke sarcastically, "I can't imagine them holding a crying baby without them running off to do crime instead of soothing them."

"Hey," Alfred pointed at Bruce, "Poison Ivy loves kids. I saw her taking care of them in her own strange motherly way."

"You know what I mean." Bruce mention, "I don't hear you on the dating train on how many times Joker flirted with me."

Alfred shuddered at the dreadful thought of the clown. He always hated him and he hated how the clown always called Batman 'darling,' or how the two of them were so completely obsessive with one another. He really thought the clown was gay, but he was proven wrong when Harley Quinn came into the picture."...Right, but it's a good thing he doesn't do that anymore since Harley came around. Am I right?" He hit his elbow to Bruce as if it was a 'close call' moment.

Bruce slowly washed himself, as he stared down at the soap floating down his body to the grain, "....."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He ripped himself away from the romantic photo, __'Too many memories__ ,’ His emotions were starting to bubble up to the surface in his throat. He had to go back to what he was actually searching for.

Searching for clues to the sad Joker's story.

No matter what he analyze in the glass cases, he still doesn't find any clues to the clown's story. He had read the accomplishment of the Bat-family and the Justice League had done, and even after those years went by. There were even biography of Robin's own children. They, too, became the next generation of the Bat-family or the Justice League.

 _'This is starting to become pointless to find clues to his story, '_ He thought, but he felt something was missing. Looking closer to the photos of the second generation. He doesn't find the older Bruce Wayne anywhere or even the Justice League, _'Was it around this time that they died?'_

He read the content and it said nothing about what happen to the older generation. Actually, it just mention about the new generation villains more than the Justice League. It was almost that Bruce Wayne and the Justice League was completely deleted. Even the way the group of heroes standing in awkward position. But there was nothing for them to be awkward about. 

But Bruce could swear that there was enough room in the photo that could fit another person in.

__'_ If I'm right...than how did they delete the person out of the photos? Does it mean that there was something there before? Was it my older self or the Justice League?'_

This was all giving him a headache.

Sighing, Bruce pulled away from the display cases and try to place his thoughts together in his mind. But there was one thing he knows for sure, _'The Sad Joker isn't any hero...than...what could he possibly be fighting with…if its not for stopping crime?'_

The thought of Joker being the same kind of villain as any other Joker does made him feel slightly nervous, but Bruce had to remind himself that the clown would've had many opportunity to kill him before. Heck, he even warned Bruce if he wasn't a good boy than he would not hesitate to end him.

Than something caught his eye in the last case at the end of the room. An old, yellow slightly burnt photograph stood up in its frame and laying down underneath it; a Joker card with old blood stain on the edges.

Bruce recognized the items of the event that he learned had happen years ago.

The great Dark Days of the Multiverse.

In the photograph, was one of the Dark warriors. The Bat who laughs. A Batman that was a love-child of Batman and Joker combined. A Bruce Wayne that had went towards the Joker way.

Bruce shudder at the thought and he had to repeat that in his mind, _'A Batman and Joker combined.'_ It reminded him about his data files called _‘End Future’_ back in the Multiversity. One of the reports was about a cyborg Bat-Joker made by Frankenstein. It had a turning head of Batman and Joker on one robot body. It was quite disturbing. But to have another various of Batman and Joker combined to make the Bat who laughs. What was the Multiverse trying to say?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A pale sliver sexless being stood in front of 1109. It had no face, but he could tell by its aura that it means every word, “…It is forbidden.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Liar.” Said Bruce out loud to himself as if the being was in front of him.

He shook out of his thoughts and looked back at the content mentioning about how the original Batman went into the Dark Multiverse to learn everything there was. Batman came back stronger than any other Batman.

 _ _'_ Now look where I kept ending up. The portal virus keeps me in the Dark Multiverse or close to apocalypse worlds...that's all I've been going into now.' _Bruce narrowed his brows and glanced back at the epic Batman in the photo, _‘I’m not even sure if this world is inside the Dark Multiverse or the Multiverse’._

After finishing reading all the article that the grand hall held. His legs were getting tired from standing all day and he decided he would sit down on the stair's step. He took out the pain-killers as the discomfort of his rib was becoming unbearable. From his pockets he pulled out a small bottle and checked how many pills he had left. About five pills to be exact. There wasn't much pills to begin with when he first took them from the bag. He'll have to ask the clown for more later. He took two pills and shallow them whole.

 _ _'_ I wonder when the clown was coming back?' _He pondered and feeling a little bored without him here _ _,_ 'I still don't understand what he could be doing out there in this frozen world?'_

He doesn't understand the clown’s method, but what he mostly doesn’t understand was his feelings towards the clown.   
  
Bruce felt that they've known each other forever. But in reality, they only known each other for one day and it doesn't help that the clown kept disappearing in random times. They were complete strangers and ghosts to who they once were. It was a strange feeling to get over with. A strange feeling that Bruce had kept telling himself that the sad Joker wasn't his Joker. He was pretty sure that the sad Joker was doing the same thing to him.

He knows he's repeating his own thoughts, but everything about the sad Joker was a mystery. And he couldn't get that out of his head. How young he looked compared to the other Jokers, but still held enough similarities to them. He seem slightly more calmer than the hyper active Jokers. Strangely enough...more loving? Could a affectionate word be capable to fit into Joker? Jokers claim to love, but could they?

Was he really sad? He seem more happy than any normal Joker could be, but maybe it was because there was Batman here now. He wasn't sure. Bruce doesn't know how long the clown was brooding since he came here. Yet, it still doesn't explain this sad Joker and the other three Jokers.

Which was the real one for this world? One of them had to be the real one.

Either way, the cemetery was the only proof that the older Bruce Wayne was dead, and even though the grave stone doesn't had a set year on it. It shows that this Gotham doesn't had a Batman for a very long time. Bruce still doesn't understand the strange world outside the manor. The organic buildings, the technology road and the strange Gotham buildings that only half stand, yet show no signs of decay.

*****Bing*** **

Oracle snapped Bruce out of his thoughts as the cameras focus go in and out from him. It was sad that this was his only company for the coming evening. Whoever or whatever was behind those cameras was his only friend and only one the Sad Joker knew.

"Well, lets see what I can do in my spare time." The Dark Knight stood up and headed towards his bedroom. Bruce decided he was going to figure out the time of this world. If he could.

As the hours flew by and the darkness slowly creeping over the snow. The Wayne Manor slept quietly with only the sound of the ticking from the father clocks. Bruce had tried to keep himself occupied as best he could, but worrying thoughts kept slithering into his mind.

_‘...Is this normal for Joker to come home late? Could he be hurt? ’_

To mute them out, he went to the study room to look for some books that might peek his interest. He even checked if he could go back into the Batcave, but the entrance was still seal shut.

He spent most of his time reading before he felt the hunger slowly ripping the inside of his stomach’s walls. Bruce couldn’t wait for the clown any longer and decided he’ll have to have dinner without him. When he went into the kitchen and open up the fridge, nothing was there waiting for him. That actually caught Bruce by surprised. He thought for sure Joker wasn't the one making the dishes for him.

“Hm. I guess Joker is quite the cook,” He wasn’t sure why that made him slightly glad, but it maybe had to do with all the paranormal events happening to him lately. Something normal as cooking was a bit of a relief.

For now, Bruce was going to make himself something simple. After going through the cupboards and the drawers and got to know where everything was. Bruce got everything ready and cooked up a one-pan cheesy sauce. He cooked the chicken, broccoli and rice and placed the cheesy sauce on top. Then he set down to eat. First time Bruce had to learn to cook for himself was when he started working at the Multiversity. He had made failed dishes before he gotten better at it. It was hard for him to shake off the rich man’s life he used to have.

Like usual, Bruce finished his meal and placed the dishes into the sink. After thinking about it, he washed the dishes and pot and placed them away when he dried them.

"Where is he?" Concerned, Bruce wished he knew what time it really was, so he could tell how long the Joker was gone for and how long he stay up, "He promised he'd be home by now."

Its not like he was worried about the clown, but how long does the clown usually stay out for? Was he in trouble? Does he needed his help? Where would he even begin to look for him? Could he be dying?

 _"You two don't know how worried I get when you two go out on patrol,"_ Evelena voices entered into Bruce's mind. Was this what she felt like whenever Alfred and himself go out in the night? While Evelena was left in the mansion alone? With only her thoughts. Despite being on the bat computer and watching their every move? 

“.…” It was no use for Bruce to feel bad now, since it was in the past now, but if he could. He would’ve said sorry to Evelena.

Another couple of hours went by and Bruce was getting apprehension. He even went up to check into the clown's bedroom just in case he sneaked from the back door. But there was no one there.

He spend most of his hours sitting on the stairs and waiting for the clown to come home. He walked over to the foyer and found himself a chair to sit on and waited.

And waited.

And waited...

 

Bruce was startled awake by the sound of loud whispers surrounding the Wayne Manor. He stood up from his chair to listen to them carefully. Again, it sounded nothing more than gibberish. The whispers was in a eerie panic and the sound roamed around the building with great speed. One second it was loud near Bruce than quietly went into the next room. It went around for a good minute until it suddenly stop.

The deathlike silences return with only the soft noise of the ticking from the father clock.

"...What was that?" Bruce realized he was frozen in his spot since he sudden wake from the chair. He couldn't even remember when he fall asleep.  

But Something was wrong.

He doesn't know what, but it seem he wasn't the only one to be worried. Thinking, Bruce started to run up the stairs and into Joker's room again. Again, the room was empty.

The Dark Knight went back downstairs just in time to hear the front door swing open and shut. He made it to the foyer and saw the back of Joker standing near the door. Already, the Dark Knight spotted the blood stains on the clown’s back. His blue suit was ripped and covered in dirt all over.

"Joker." He manged to breathe out gently.

Slowly Joker turned to his full attention to Bruce.

Bruce's eyes widen in horror as he saw half of Joker's cheek was blown out and his left arm hang off his shoulder unnaturally. The clown's clothing was trashed and stained with his own blood. His hip was missing a good chuck of skin. His one eye was blood shot and new bruises started to form on his face. Everything about his body was teared and slashed from something sharp. Joker could barely stand on his two feet and could fall at any moment.

Yet Joker stared blankly at Bruce as blood streamed out of his mouth, " _....d-darl-ing..._ "

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes I do have this story all planned out to the very end. XD


	6. The Heart behind the Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I'm going to admit, this chapter took a lot of shaping to do. A lot of changing my mind on certain things, but here it is! Read my pretties!

 "Joker..."

The honorific sight had paralyzed Bruce on the spot. The blood ooze down Joker's slashed open cheek and skinless hip causing to change in his navy suit into a violet shade. Hunching over, Joker's right arm swing back and forth motionless. One thing Bruce couldn't take his eyes off was Joker's blank stare. An inhuman dead stare.  
  
About to take a step, the clown's leg gave out underneath him and fell forward. Bruce quickly reached out and grabbed him into his arms as they both sank slowly onto the floor. The agonizing pain from his rib ran through him like gasoline into flames, but he blocked it out as he turned Joker slightly to see his wounded face.

What in the world happen to him? What did he got himself into?  
  
"Joker! Joker!" Bruce felt the warm blood dripped down his leg and staining his sweater. When he doesn't get a respond, he could only imagined the worse. Slapping his cheek carefully to wake him up. "Come on."

"..Hahaha ha ha!" Joker coughed out blood from his throat and gurgled his laughter. He opened his one eye a little bit, revealing it was completely red, while the other eye was swollen shut. Even in the verge of death, Joker seem to be laughing at the face of it. Bruce felt the clown lose consciousness and went limp in his arms.

Without wasting any more time, Bruce lifted the clown’s arm over to his shoulder and let the adrenaline overwhelmed his body. He quickly dragged the clown into the kitchen with great difficulty, as the dark knight lifted him onto the island. He quickly grabbed a clean, tea towel and placed it against the clown's open cheek. He ripped the top part of clown's suit and revealed some of his skin.

It was bad.

Whoever Joker had fought against with, had left their mark of nasty deep cuts on his chest and side. The colors of purple, red, and blue roamed brightly against his white skin. Mostly in the area of the clown's ribs and stomach. Bruce grazed the side of the chest with his finger tips and felt the broken ribs.

"I don't think a medical bag will be able take care of half of this..." He was lost as to what to do to help the Joker. But he had to get the medical bag. He had to try. It was in Joker's bedroom next to the bed when he last saw it.

Hating the thought of leaving the clown here, Bruce was about to go when he felt a strong grip on his arm. He glanced back at the clown and shocked to what he was seeing. Looking into Joker's one eye was covered in darkness with no life inside them. The clown’s arm slowly pointed towards the kitchen's door.

Curiously, Bruce follow the finger and saw a brown suit case sitting in the middle of the door way. He glanced back at the clown confused, but only to see the Joker returned to the same position as before. __'_ Disturbing...' _He went over and kneeled down in front of the case as he opened it. Inside rested a glowing green syringe. Bruce picked it up and analyzed it carefully _ _,_ 'What could...?'_

Could it be?  
  
"....Is this?" Bruce quickly went over to the clown and injected the needle into Joker's arm. The green, liquid glow flow through the surface of the skin as it followed the webbing of his veins. He took Joker's arm and popped it back into place. The clown groaned in agony.

 _'I knew it.'_ The dark knight observed the clown's bones and muscles tissue connecting each other inside his cheek, while it closed up. _' _It's Dionesium.'__

The one element more powerful across the Multiverse that came straight from the Darkverse.

It was the 5th metal. Dionesium.

In its purist, could heal any mortal wound on any being in the Multiverse, including death. But if wasn't pure, it could drive others insane or worse.

Sweat dripped into Bruce's eyes as he wiped it away with his sleeve. The agonizing pain raged from the side of his rib. Each breath he took felt like a dagger piercing through his lugs. He tried as he might to ignore it.

Not too long, the wounds had completely healed over and the bruises had disappeared. Only thing that remained was the blood stains on his skin. Soon enough, the clown prince of crime looked to be peaceful again, just like the manor had become calm itself.

 _'I'll take you to your bedroom.'_ It was the most horrible idea he was about to do and he could feel his rib flaring just thinking about it, but he wasn't going to leave the clown here.

Bruce slipped his arms underneath Joker's back and legs, and carried him slowly towards the Joker’s bedroom. The stairs were torture walking up it, but he found relief when he lay the clown down onto the mattress. Bruce turned on the bedside lamp as it glow through the room. 

The pain was insufferable as Bruce slowly went down to his knees gripping onto the bedside. His sweaty forehead leaned against the mattress and slowly took shaken breaths.  

It felt like eternity when Bruce glanced up towards Joker's sleeping face. He looked peaceful. Spot of blood started to stain the white sheets from the clown's suit and needed to be taken off.

Going back onto his feet, Bruce started to take the clothing off and dropped them to the ground. He went over to his belt and slipped it off, but then something caught his eye. A nasty scar came across the clown's waist and than downwards. The skin attached had a different shade of white and it appeared the clown was torn in half long time ago.

"...What in the world have you gone though?" He whispered softly.

Bruce placed the blanket over the clown and turned off the light. The darkness and the silence consumed the bedroom again, leaving the dark knight in its embraced. He returned to his bedroom holding his rib and sat on the bed slowly.

Miserable. Agony. Was all that flooded the dark knight's mind and body. He took out the bottle of painkillers from his pocket and swallow the two pills down his throat.

Bruce sighed and gently rubbed between his eyes _ _,_ '...It's going to be long night.'_

One long miserable night...

In the up coming hours, Bruce tried to lie down onto his make-shift bed. In hopes, he would loose himself into exhaustion, but the pain only pushed away the sleep. Later, he moved around the room and do certain things to take his mind off the pain; Looking out the window at the dark scenery, meditating on the chair, checking his batsuit and searching through his computer inside his cowl. Nothing seem to take his mind off the pain.

 _'Enough of this...'_ Bruce grew tried of waiting for the morning to come or for the pain to stop.

If he was going to suffer through the night, he might as well have the right stuff for it. Coffee. Going down the stairs to the kitchen, Bruce vanished the darkness by switching the lights on. The island was spotless with no remaining blood stains on the counter. The suitcase and the syringe were missing and the droplets of blood on the floor were gone.

It doesn't surprised Bruce anymore. He was starting to get used to the __"_ magical"_ a.k.a _"friends"_ cleaning after Joker. Going straight to the coffee machine and starting to made a new brew. He waited in silence until he heard the coffee machine beep. Finished. He grabbed himself a mug and poured the dark coffee in. He sat down slowly on the stool at the island and sighed.

He was so tried. So miserable. The pills only took the slight ache away, but the pain still remained. He just wanted it all to stop.

"I really could use some of that Dionesium." If only there was enough for him as well.

The dark knight rested his forehead against his hand and set very still. It was the only position he felt a slight relief from the agony. He took a couple of sips from his coffee and stared blankly at the marble counter.

 

A soft touch rested on Bruce's shoulder, causing him to opened his eyes suddenly and adjusting to the morning glow, __'...Morning?'__

Had he fallen asleep sitting like this? His arm felt numb and his neck ached, but he glanced over to the owner of the warm touch. Standing next to him was Joker wearing a pink night gown and he stared bilious at Bruce with a terrible frown resting on his lips. It was dangerously close to the expression back in the batcave. Not a word had been exchange between them and it was quite awkward for Bruce. He felt something menacing radiating off the clown.

"Morning...um...coffee is finished." Bruce pointed towards the coffee machine. Hoping that would snap the clown out of it, but the clown doesn't move nor looked away, but kept staring at Bruce. "....Would you like me to get you some?"

Planning to get him a mug and away from Joker's eerie stare, Bruce was about to leave when he felt the tight grip around his wrist. Twisting it, Joker opened the dark knight's hand and spotted the black stain on his palm.

"...You touched the trees?" Joker asked in a harsh tone.

Bruce was stunned at the seriousness tone within the clown's voice and knowing what he had done yesterday. It wasn't good. Bruce needed to calm him down, but how?

The dark knight held himself boldly and kept his expression honest, "...Yes, I had touched the tree, but it was in self-defense."

A dark expression warped the clown's face. One moment Bruce was staring into those hostile eyes, and the next his head was slammed against the island's counter. Causing Bruce's vision to blur and be stun. He was thrown down to the ground and the miserable pain paralyzed him. He groaned and the sound of a mug shattering above could be heard through Bruce's confusion. He felt a hand pushed him back onto the floor when he tried to turn to his side, but the weight of a man sitting on Bruce's stomach had him pinned onto the floor.

Joker grabbed a fist full of Bruce's sweater and placed the broken, jabbed mug against his scared neck, "...What did I say about being a good boy, Bruce?" He brought Bruce closer to his face. "You AREN'T being a good boy! I'm little disappointed!!" He yelled.

Bruce's breath became short and his heart pumping inside his ears from the awaken adrenaline. Was he scared? No. But he could always fight Joker off of him and escape from his grip. Even if Bruce was handicap to the pain, he doesn't wanted to start a fight or hurt the clown. And he wasn't about to find out what his friend's would do to him if he had.

"...Listen," Bruce said in a start. "I wanted to get some fresh air and a change of scenery, so I went outside to the backyard. I admit, I was intrigue by your creepy forest and went for a walk in it. But when I was coming back...something was following me." He paused and watched Joker's expression change a little softer, but annoyed, "...To defend myself, I broke off a stick from one of the trees...but it didn't attacked me...it simply stalked me until I was inside the manor."

Joker wasn't all that satisfied, but went to the next question. "...And the computer?"

It was Bruce turn to become silent. "How did you know about that?" Asked Bruce, while pretending not to know he was being watched.

"A little bird told me." He sneered. "Now tell me!"

The dark knight hesitated,"I...I was curious what my older self's last report was before he was killed....I didn't think it was a problem?" Bruce wondered how much of Joker's __"birds"__  had told him about.

"...What are you really after?" Joker growled, not believing a word out of Bruce. "You're here for _them_ , aren't you?!"

Baffled, Bruce was lost as to what Joker was talking about. "What?...You already know why I'm here?" Joker's slowly shoving the mug deeper in to his neck, causing a bit of skin to break, "...I'm here to get supplies....parts for my armor....and a place to stay until I leave!"  
  
"Don't lie to me!!" The clown raised the broken mug high up and ready to strike Bruce with it. The dark knight was ready to catch Joker's arm, when the clown's attention snapped quickly towards the direction to the door. He stared angrily at it.

Bruce waited for Joker to strike him, but it never came. Curiously, Bruce glanced over to where Joker was staring at, but he saw nothing at the door way. _'Nothing is there? What is he staring at?'_ He had the opportunity to knock the clown off of him, but Bruce held the urge.

"What?" The clown sneered and his arm relaxed to his side.

Joker slowly glanced down over to Bruce inquisitive and than back to the door way again. Watching the clown carefully, some _'thing'_ stopped him from killing Bruce, but why? There was some ' _thing'_ Joker was seeing that Bruce wasn't. There were no sounds. Not even a whisper. No shadows. Nothing. He would've thought the clown was hallucinating if it wasn't what Bruce had experience these past few days himself.

Joker chucked the broken mug against the cupboard and it shattered, "Of course, he did!!"

_'He who? Me?'_

Climbing off of Bruce, the clown went over to the sink and clutched the edges of it furiously. The dark knight closed his eyes in relief and heard the sounds of the items breaking and crashing onto the floor. Bruce turned to his better side and grabbed onto the edge of the island to pull himself up.

"HE GOT AWAY!" The clown grabbed a cookie jar and threw it to the ground. The coffee machine was next and was thrown out the window. Causing the glass to shattered into thousand of sharp pieces and shine menacing in the light. The ceramic dishes and cups thrown one by one onto the floor. Pots and pans bang loudly everywhere he had tossed them."The fucker got away!!"

He was furious and the kitchen turned into a battle zone.

Blood started to trail after the clown's feet until he finally stop his rampage after two minutes. Facing the shattered window and his body shaking violently, he was taking slow breaths to calm himself down. Bruce could only watch while leaning against the island and tried to breath slowly himself. He wasn't interested in getting in the clown's massive fit.

After a good minutes or so, Joker moved towards the counter without showing any discomfort walking across the mayhem of sharp glass, and ceramic crunching underneath his feet. He reached for two bowls from a broken door cupboard and picked up a pan off the floor to the stove. Bruce only watched quietly as the clown fixed up something warm for breakfast.

Once done, the clown went over to the island and almost dropped the a bowl of warm cereal in front of Bruce. It caused it to spill a bit to the side. The cereal was sloppy and there were fruits tossed uncaring in it. Joker ate his breakfast without ever glancing up to Bruce.

The sound of the spoon scraping the bottom of the bowl had told Bruce the clown was finished eating. Joker thrown the bowl into the sink by breaking it into pieces and walked towards the door.

"Wait." Said Bruce. Halting the Joker in his steps. Bruce turned slightly, but the clown had no attention to turning around. "......I'm glad you're alright."

The clown doesn't say anything, but walked out of the kitchen. Leaving Bruce alone in the destruction the clown had been left behind. Bruce went back to his breakfast and began to eat quietly to himself.

 

Bruce came out from the kitchen."That was a wonderful start of the day." He said sarcastically to himself. Feeling the pain still raging on his side.

But the clown left him with so many questions that kept buzzing in his head. First was the black trees. What could they possibly be that important to the Joker? That they almost caused him his death? They were strange, nonetheless. With warm flowing tar going through them and a strange symbol planted on the trunk, but for Joker to care about trees was even more intriguing. Next, Joker knowing that he was on the computer. It must had been the creature that told the clown what he was up too. Now that he knows that this __thing__  could speak and has intelligence. He also wonders, if this __thing,__  was the same that gave him the syringe and who was talking to Joker at the door way. Maybe, that same creature he saw inside Joker’s eye.

Why couldn’t Bruce see this creature? He saw it in a blur of it in the corner of his eye and the reflection from the window. But knowing that its always been there watching him was a worse than the cameras themselves. Unless, its not always there, since it needed the cameras to watch him with. If that was the case, then there was another person behind the scene beside the creature.

And another dreadful thought came into his mind. _‘Something must had been done to me that I can’t see this creature. This is starting to get dangerous. I don’t know if Joker is just a mere puppet in someone’s else game or he is the one who is in control of that creature?’_ This made Bruce worry. Every world he had gone though had it’s own unique nightmare, but some of those worlds would also die or sink into the dark multiverse.

But he hadn’t come to a world where it was frozen, but still be moving.

__‘_ The faster I get my stuff together, the better I get off this planet.’_

Bruce felt flakes of dry blood from under his sweater, as he realized he was still in his bloody clothes since yesterday. He needed a shower, but he was avoiding it in hopes he would get a little better. But lately, everything seems to attack him. Mostly around his rib area.

Up the stairs to his room, Bruce took out some clothing that looked comfortable enough for him to wear and set them onto the bed.

_'I really wish those cameras weren't in the bathroom.'_

Entering the bathroom he turned on the shower. It was painful for Bruce to be taking off his clothes, but managed it nonetheless. Going inside the shower, he relaxed his muscles against the warmth of the water and leaning his forehead against the stone wall _ _. 'No...I won't be able to leave faster...not with this wound._ ' _Healing his rib would take about a month or so to heal...unless something prevents him from it. It was starting to look bleak for him to leave this place anytime soon. _'Maybe trying to investigate wasn't a good idea right now....I need to concentrate into healing my rib. If I don't die in the process.'_

Something soft came slithered around Bruce's waist, causing him to turn sharply at the source of the touch. Standing behind him, in all his naked white glory, was the Joker and his biggest grin graced upon his face.

"What the?!" Bruce stepped back into a corner.

"Brucey!" The clown said in a excited voice. "I was thinking."

"Couldn't you wait?" Bruce tried not to glance downwards to Joker's lower half and kept looking away awkwardly. "What are you even doing in here?"

"Shut up and listen, luv. It's the best idea I’ve ever had and I wanted to share it with you, right now!" He placed his hands together. "Since we're going in our little "date" today...I thought of something fun to do!" He wiggled his brows happily.

"Couldn't we talk about this somewhere else?"

Ignoring Bruce, "I was thinking, when I open one door...you will have to tell me one thing about yourself." His eyes brighten, "Isn't that a good idea?"

Puzzled, Bruce could only remain silent. Did he missed something here? First, the clown was about to kill Bruce with his own coffee mug and the next he wanted go on a date? He was in his shower, just to tell him that he wanted to exchange details about each other? That wasn't worth his privacy.

"That's all you came in here to tell me about?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing else?"

"Nope"

"Get out."

"Awww, is the little batys all shy-ee-why-ee about he's privates?" He chuckled. "My Brucey, how childish! I didn't think I had to be the one to talk like a grown up here, but here it goes We're both grown men in here, Bats." He was grinning up a storm and loving every inch of Bruce's discomfort. "We all have a pet snake name Captain Winky. Why Winky? Because it has one eye!" He roared with laughter.

Bruce sneered "Get out of my shower!" He opened the glass door and he was about to pushed the clown out, when Joker held himself back against the door.

"OOooh, you don't have to be soooo mean, Bats! Have some fun once in awhile!" He slipped away from Bruce's hand and back inside the shower. "Since we're both pretty bloody mess, I thought I scrub your back and you scrub my back...drop the soap and see where it goes?"

"...I'm getting out." Bruce was about to leave when a shampoo bottle blocked his way.

"I can help you wash your hair-r-r-r." He sang and swing the shampoo bottle back and forth in front of his face. "It will make things less painful for you." He purred.

"......." Bruce's eyes widen in horror and held his breath.  

"I knew you'd like that." The clown smirked.  
  
Without a word from Bruce, the clown took it as a yes and took advantage of this moment. Bruce could only closed his eyes and remain not moving. _'I shouldn't be agreeing to this...but I don't want to cause anymore discomfort. I'm stuck between two uncomfortable places.'_

"You know, Brucey. If I didn't know any better. You seem pretty soft towards me. Here I thought, I was gonna get punched in the face and kicked out of here in near seconds, but...you didn't. How...un-batly of you." Joker placed the shampoo cream into his hand and slipped his soapy fingers into Bruce's hair. "Instead, you just bend over and let me take you....It's kinda sweet." He grinned.

"I'm not that kinda man that you think I am."

"You don't have to tell me twice, darling. I love that you letting me fuck you over." He moved his hands deeper into Bruce's scalp and messaging it gently. "I'm starting to think you like me pushing you around?"

Bruce glared at Joker. "... I told you, didn't I? I'm not here to hurt you."

"Right, right. I remember. It's just been bothering me since you started to live here." He pushed Bruce under the shower head and washed the soap out of his hair. "You don't become fist-angry Bats like you used too. No batrang. No growling. Nothing. You are just...okay with it. That even creeps me out, luv." Joker raised his brow at him. "Did you lost some marbles in that batcave head of yours? I mean, running around dressed like a bat isn’t normal either, but it’s not that kind of craze I was looking for."

Bruce had no clue where Joker was going with this. "...Do you mean determination?”

"The anger!" Joker gave him the clue.

The dark knight appeared into the clown's eyes, but kept quiet.

Taken aback, Joker looked a little bit lost to what Bruce eyes meant. It actually placed the clown stunned and his eyes searching through his. Looking for the anger that wasn’t there anymore. Now Bruce thought about it, Joker only known Batman for his anger, his frustration, his weakness, and his misery. To Joker, the wrath was a huge part of Batman. Take all that away and what was left of the cape crusader?

Bruce would like to know that himself.

"Are you finish?"

The clown snapped out of it. "Yes! Now the blood!"

"I can do it myself." He stopped him before the clown could touch his body. "You can clean yourself up for the mean time."

"That's too bad. You lucked out from the best massages you ever would’ve had." He grabbed the shampoo and started to wash his own hair.

Once finished, Bruce was the first to get out and stand in front of the foggy mirror.  

****Slap!** **

Bruce felt a sharp pain on his ass as he quickly looked over to the smug Joker next to him. "We should do this more often. Maybe next time, we can do more __fun__ things."

Rolling his eyes, Bruce placed a towel around his waist and grabbed the shaving cream.

 

Later, the two men entered the grand hall back to the night where they left off. They were well dressed and shaved. As Joker wore a purple vast and pants, as well as a blue under shirt. Bruce wore a black long sleeve shirt and dark jeans.

"Here we are!" said Joker, getting in the middle of the stairs. "Where should we start first?"

Wasting no time, Bruce pointed towards the twin doors between the stairs. "How about we start in the middle?"

"There?" Joker hesitated. "Are you sure? If I remember correctly, that might be where the living room is."

Bruce wondered if Joker knew he peeked through the window yesterday. "If it is, we should at least open it. It would be nice to sit somewhere other than the kitchen."

"True, but that isn't all that exciting." Joker walked towards upstairs. " I know a room where we can go first! It's the best one in the whole house!"

Bruce hesitated, as Joker walked up the stairs and disappeared towards the hallway. He looked back at the twin doors, but followed the clown instead. To him, any rooms that held information was good enough for him right now. Down the hall, close to the Robin's bedrooms, was Joker standing next to a door to his right.

"Hurry up and come over here, Bats!" He urged him. "Now this. This room will blow you away with amazement." He grinned again. Joker open the door and went inside. Bruce was about to go in when he felt something wrong with the Oracle. It glitched slightly and his vision was blurred. He blinked a couple of times to clear his sight, but he wasn't sure why Oracle was doing this.

“Here we are, Brucey! What you have been always looking for!” He starched out his arm wide, as if he was saying ta-da. “Isn’t it gorgeous?!”

From the doorway, Bruce saw the lit room filled with the sad Joker’s posters, newspaper articles, magazines, and merchandises. Showing Joker not smiling once in any of his photographs. Display cases were against the wall, or in the middle of the room. Items were display of what he had used in his battles and his heroism towards the people. He had a stunning display of the villains he had caught long time ago, and there was even a TV casting Joker’s great speeches.

"Come on in, luv. I won’t bite." said Joker from the room.

Blinking back the glitches, Bruce slowly came inside the room. It was what Bruce was hoping for from Joker to confirm his claim. He noticed the up raised of the people wearing the Joker and Batman masks, and the monster that killed his older self. Including the Justice League. Everything was here. Everything Joker had told him about was here.

But...

The deeper Bruce came into the room, the more Oracle glitched and corrupted even more. Causing a migraine to become agonizing, but Bruce tried to ignored it, as this was too important to pass by. The dark knight started to read one of the newspaper articles on the wall.

“Aren’t I amazing?” Joker came from behind him. “I told you I was a hero. An amazing hero as that.”

Bruce glanced at the clown and smiled slightly. “It’s still hard to believe.”

“I’m hurt, Bats. People can change, you know. All you have to do is give them a chance.”

Bruce had snorted at that comment. “It had to take Batman’s death to change you?

“What can I say? When everyone was having more fun than you. It really starts to grind on my nerves.”

“...It's kinda odd....not seeing your trademark grin.”

“.…” Joker looked back at the wall and back to Bruce. "I told you didn't I? It was a miserable time for me.”

“.…” Bruce stared at the clown curiously.

The clown only smirked. “What are you waiting for? Look around more. Devour my greatness into yourself.” He pat Bruce’s shoulder hard and walked over to the other side of the room.

Right…  
  
Rubbing his stinging eyes, Bruce tried to shut down the Oracle, but it wasn’t responding to him. __‘_ What in the world is going on with Oracle?’ _When was the last time Oracle was like this? A electric storm, solar storm, spirits, etc? _‘It had been a long time since it became this way. But why? What could it be reacting, too?’_

Trying his best to gather the information laying out in front of him, his migraine was becoming as agonizing as his broken rib. _‘Ever since the clown came back, I’m getting attack by my own body.’_  Be rib or headache, Bruce had no luck in getting away from his pain.

"Luv, are you alright? You're sweating up a storm?" The clown came closer to him.

"I'm fine." It was getting harder for Bruce to concentrate as his eyes was stinging more and causing them to shut. He tired again to turn off the Oracle, but still unresponsive.

“You don’t look fine at all.” The clown placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re tearing up.”

“A lash fell in my eye. I can’t seem to get it out.” Bruce pretended, as he walked away from Joker and towards the TV in the left corner.

Near the TV, the glitches advanced more the closer Bruce got to it. The sound of Joker’s voice from the speakers echoed in his ears and became distant. The glitches went in and out as the room went back and forth to lit to a dark room. Through the glitches, the TV would disappeared and reappeared in front of him.

He could feel his heart beating inside his migraine. All thought disappeared as Bruce couldn’t think anymore. He felt a hand on his back, but he wasn’t sure. The dark knight gripped his head as the pain overwhelmed him.

Dropping to the floor, Bruce stared across the room. The display cases would disappeared and reappeared to wooden old boxes, and back to the display cases again. The floor was dusty one second and cleaned the next. The one thing he caught, before his vision slowly disappeared, was something solidly black standing in the corner where the TV used to be. 

Soon enough, his mind couldn’t handle corruption anymore and his vision turned to darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What have you done?!" A familiar voice filled the air.

The city of Gotham was blanket by its own orange light and cloudy night sky. Near the docks, an abandoned warehouse stood next to the black ocean, where Joker stood on top of the old tin roof. He was pointed a gun towards the darkness. No smile rested on his lips, no sound of laughter and no twinkle of menacing in his eyes, but the rumbles of thunder breaking the silence from up above him. Everything about the clown's frame was shaking and his eyes covered in terror.

Lighting flashed throughout the night and outlining a dark man in a cape staring back at him, before he disappeared into the darkness.

".....WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Joker narrowed his eyes and his voice shaken. "How did you do it?! How did you destroyed the balance?!"

"...." Batman creeped out from the shadows. "I haven’t destroy any balance. What I did what was necessary."

The clown's eyes widen in horror, "No...you're going to kill all of us! You made too many changes!" He yelled at him. "These changes aren't supposed to happen. Never to happen!"

"Joker, why can't you see I'm trying to help you. These changes is what everybody wanted." The dark knight walked closer to Joker. "All I wanted....was to help everyone."

A warning shot came close to Batman's feet and causing him to stop. "....You don't understand what you have done, do you? You destroy everything!"

"Joker..."

The lighting flashed between them and thunder shook the ground. The pause settled between Batman and Joker before the rain started to fall. Soaking the both of them in their silences. Joker glanced over to the country side, as the gun fell from his hand. The gun slipped away from the roof top to the ground below.

"Everything! It's too late!!" Joker fell to his knees and covered his head. Batman could only watched as the clown repeated his words."It's too late....It's coming."

Batman creeped closer to Joker almost towering over him. "Joker...Please...tell me. What is going on?"

The sound of rain and the city had stopped. The rain stood still in mid air. Nothing was moving anymore.

1109 was surround by the still silences.

 

 ** _ ** _"I'll tell you."_**_** A dark voice echoed in the still air.  ** _ ** _“You poor, naive thing.”_**_**

Black arms came from the darkness behind Batman and wrapped their arms around him, pulling him backwards into the void. Joker disappeared further away from his sight, until he splashed into a deep, dark water. He pushed himself up to catch some air and saw it was blood in front of him. Something grabbed him by the neck and bring him up to level to another deformed Batman. 1109 coughed and tried to get out of this creature’s grip. 

**_**_“You should better…you summoned death right to your door step.”_ ** _ **

This deformed Batman was completely one with the darkness that surrounded them. His onyx horns shined from the little light from above them and his leather skin mask stretched over his face in black patches. Covering his eyes, and letting his disgusting rotten lips to be shown.   

 ** _ ** _"_**_** ** _ ** _But t_**_** ** _ ** _he real question is, why haven't you gone insane, yet?"_**_** He growled through rotten, jagged teeth, **_**_"You would've become like me."_**_**

“You..s-shouldn’t be…alive!” 1109 struggled and kicked the other dark Batman in his face. "I killed you and I’ll do it again!"

 ** _ ** _"_**_** ** _ ** _I don’t doubt it. You had_**_** ** _ ** _killed_**_** ** _ ** _your_**_** ** _ ** _own world_**_** ** _ ** _by the most simplest of things_**_** ** _ ** _."_**_** The dark Batman bring 1109 closer to his face. **_**_"_**_** ** _ ** _Y_**_** ** _ ** _ou_**_** ** _ ** _should have obey the laws._**_** ** _ ** _"_**_**

1109 growled back at him. “The laws doesn’t work that way. And you know it!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce woken up from a frightening start. Panting, he searched around the room finding it familiar in the dim glow of the twilight. He was inside the comfort of his room and on his bed. Calming himself down, he fall back onto the soft mattress and sighed. "...Once again."

The memory had been an occurring nightmare for a long time, but it mostly appeared when he was in great stress from the day's event. Always reminding him of his great mistake that he had done to his own world. He rested his palm against his forehead and thought back to Joker's display cases. How could he had fainted like that, he wasn't sure.

__**Tinkle**_ _

Bruce eyes popped open and remained very still. It sounded like a small bell. __'_...Did I just hallucinate that?'_

__**Tinkle**_ _

The sound appeared more clearer and closer to Bruce, causing him to be frozen in place. It was the one of the sound he will never forget. He felt a tug on the sheets and slowly getting pulled off at the foot of the bed. Bruce set up and glanced to where the sheet were being pulled by.

__**Tinkle**Tinkle**_ _

A jester hat could be seen going back and forth making the bell's tinkling. It was dirty, worn and the smell of decomposing flash suffocated Bruce's senses. Bruce leaned back slowly against the head board, knowing all too well what was in front of him. Peaking from the foot of the bed, a pale face with patches of flash sewn together by different skins, appeared. The Jester's eyes were blood shot and crazed, but could be seen brightly against the black make-up smudged around it. His lips were sewn shut, but the red lip-stick ran up to his ears. It cracked his neck abnormally to the side and a long, bony hand reached on top of the sheets. Pulling himself up onto the mattress. Crawling onto the bed, Bruce noticed the Jester wearing straight jacket, but made into Jester's costume.

It was horrific sight of a Jester creeping closer to Bruce.

"....Jester." Bruce's eyes widen, "How...d-did you get here?"

The Jester crawled on top of Bruce until he was face to face with him. He had a dreadful gurgle sound coming from his throat. The dark knight could only stare into those soulless eyes until he felt the cold hands wrapped around his neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce's eyes shot open and quickly set up, but something held him in place onto the bed. Cold sweat dripped from his chin and his breath quicken as if he ran a marathon. Shaking, he quickly look around to an unfamiliar room until a hand caressed his cheek. Bruce gasped and caught the familiar eyes of the clown.

"It's okay, luv. It's just a nightmare." Pushing himself up away from Bruce's shoulder, he caught Joker's pale face from the twilight from the window. "That was some nasty night terrors you're having. No wonder you don't sleep, Bats."

Calming himself down slowly, Bruce glanced around the dark room again and remembering it was Joker's bedroom. The two of them were laying on his bed. "..What happen?" He rubbed his stinging eyes.

"You fainted like a teenage girl in a boy's band concert! One minute you're enjoying my heroism and the next you're on the floor. I thought my amazing heroism was way too much for you to handle. Haha." He laughed and placed his head back onto the dark knight's shoulder. "So, I took you into my room, but you end up sleeping for hours. Almost the whole day even."

Bruce wiped away the sweat and took a slow breaths. His eyes stings badly and his head was still aching. What made Oracle flipped out like that? What could had cause such intense electricity to force for Oracle to go into shambles? "Shit."

"Not to worry, dear! We can go back to our date tomorrow." He rubbed his hand on his chest to reassure him."Your eyes are completely red, though."

How could the clown see his eyes in the dark was a great mystery, but it cause enough of a stir in Bruce to get him out of bed and into the bathroom. He turned on the light and went over to the mirror.

To his horror, Bruce looked to be possessed by a demon. Broken veins vessels were flaming red around his sclera and his iris appeared more blue against it. Concerned, Bruce tried to turn on Oracle, but it sting and it caused him to have another headache to merge.

Great.

"Wow, Brucy. I have to say, I'm digging your new look." Wearing his purple night gown, Joker leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. His toothy grinned told Bruce he wasn't kidding. "Less dead, more crazy. The way I like it. Hahahahaha!"  
  
"...." Bruce glared at Joker and than back to his reflection.

The last thing Bruce could remembered was the room changing in between a dusty room full of old wooden boxes to display cases. Everything looked different in that slip of a second until Oracle malfunction overloaded his mind. But in that second, he swore he saw a dark figure in the corner of the room. Watching them. Its face he couldn't identify. _'That room was just an illusion...'_ He felt anger aroused within him and felt betray by the Joker's lie. But he had to pretend it was all genuine for the sake to survive this world.

"...I don't know what happen..." Bruce told it more to himself than Joker. "I just felt dizzy and everything turned dark."

The clown watched Bruce quietly, before he went closer to him and touched his arm gently. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, luv. You must have been exhausted, that's all."

"I guess you're right." The dark knight glanced down at Joker.

"Of course I'm right! I'm always right." The clown pulled Bruce towards the bedroom as Bruce turned off the light. "Come to bed and rest your little sleepy head."

"...It's okay. I need to go back to my room and rest." He was about to walked past Joker, when he felt the clown's tighten his grip around his arm.

"I meant in my bed, darling."

"Joker, I'm not going to sleep in here." He glared.

"Oh! Come on! What do you take me for? A horny teenager?" Bruce raised his eyebrow at that question. Joker snorted "Alright, Alright. Geez, talk about drowned bat in a puddle. I won't do anything. I will cross my heart." His finger drew an X over his heart while the other hand crossed his fingers behind his back. The dark knight doesn't believe him."Please, pretty please with a cherry bomb on top?" Joker begged and tried his hardest to make a cute puppy face. "Just one night? Come on! I'm begging. I never beg to anyone!"

After intense glaring and much thinking, Bruce decided he will stay the night. Just once. Joker had wanted this since he first came into this world. He might as well give it to him...once _ _._ 'I'm going to regret this.'_

"Fine. Just for tonight, But if you try to do anything else. I'm going back to my room."

"Yes!" Joker grinned and pulled him towards the bed happily. They both lay back onto the bed and Joker pulled the covers over them. To Bruce surprise, the clown snuggled against his side. "See, isn't this so much better?"

"....Better?" The dark knight felt very uncomfortable and awkward about the situation they were in, not as much as the shower was, but close enough. "This is awkward and strange."

"How is it strange? It feels perfectly right to me. " Joker frowned.

"...Two of the most hated enemies in all of the Multiverses, including the Dark Multiverse, fought each other in endless battle and had been killed thousands of different ways. Their hatred for each other had devoured many bystander's lives and kept forever in a miserable loop of bloodshed across many versions of our worlds..." He paused. "....Are snuggling and cuddling up against each other like old lovers and that make sense to you?"

"Oh, Bruce, always caught up in pointless details. When will you get it in your thick skull that we had always been lovers since the dawn of time. We just…show it in our own special ways!" He flicked Bruce's nose. "We're practically soulmate!"

A long pause kept Bruce quiet, as the thought of them being __'soulmates'__ were ever one of the many chosen words to described them. If anything, they acted more like a divorce nightmare fighting custody over Gotham.

1109 never seen any reports about Batman and Joker being lovers and not even in the worlds he went into. There wasn't even a world where there was a female Joker and male Batman even came close to being a couple. Not even as ex-lovers, or married couples, or flipped the genders, or having them as the same genders lovers. Doesn't exist. It never has. It was like trying to find a metal needle in a ocean of hay.

_'There is no such thing as "romantic love" between Batman and Joker...'_

Or...

Perhaps...

Once, there was interesting rumor flying around the Multiversity that intrigue 1109. It was about an Earth, that long ago disappeared, where a child Bruce had died and his parents became the Batman and the Joker. Thomas became Batman and Martha became the Joker. 1109 had such a hard time imagining his parents become such a way. That he searched feverishly for any clues that might indicate the world's existence. And it was the only time he even heard something close to relationship connection between the two iconic enemies. But 1109 never found any existing recorders stating this Earth had once existed and only leaving 1109 to believe it was all just a made-up rumor. A myth, really. Heartbroken, he gave up on the searched years ago and it was the only hope he would've had met his parents.

That's the only close thing to a _'soulmates'_ 1109 got from a Batman and a Joker.

A fake rumor.

 _'Unless...in darker respective...he means Batman and Joker are 'soulmates' in a forever torment locked together in battle.'_ He thought grimly and lamentation. _'Then he's right...'_

The sheer reality of that thought troubled Bruce greatly. That the two iconic enemies living without each other, but leaving behind destruction and hatred was terrifying. A small chuckle escaped Bruce's lips and slowly the laughter became louder enough to filled the room. Not because it was funny, but because of the horrible reality sweeping inside his soul.

"What's so funny?" The clown aroused himself up more to see Bruce in the darkness.

"U-Us. B-being Soulmate. Haha! W-what a joke!" Bruce couldn't stop laughing and placing a hand over his forehead. "S-Soulmates? Haha! B-Batman and J-Jo-oker?"

Joker set on top of Bruce's stomach again and grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him inches to his scowl face."It isn't funny, Bats! I'm serious! We do belong together."

The laughter died down and his disbelieving eyes connected to Joker's."....Yes, for our love of beating each other senseless and making each other miserable forever. Than your right, Joker. We are _ _'_ soulmates'. _"

The clown's eyes widen, but than narrowed. "Maybe it's about high time for a change. Our old ways are starting to get rather dull and boring anyway."

"Batman and Joker are never meant to be lovers." Bruce stopped the clown."They're meant to be enemies until one of us dies. Beside, Joker, nothing matters, doesn't it? Everything was one giant joke. Everything dies in the end, right? "

This time, Joker was silences by Bruce taunting words that he knew too well.

"What? No laughter? No come back? No longer life being a stage for you anymore? Nothing? Have you lost all part of yourself when your Batman had fallen?" The sad clown tensed and his face change into something haunted and sorrowful. Bruce doesn't mean to go so far, but the thought that nothing will change between them bothers him even more.

"Yeah, yeah, shove it up all in my face. I'm sick of hearing it myself. We're the yin and the yang, the order and the chaos, the good and the evil, the sane and the insane, on and on. That we will waltz together forever and ever, etc. I know, I know! It has been a broken recorded repeating inside my mind endlessly and it drives me crazy!" He laughed out loudly and digging his green nails into his own face tearing it away.

Bruce pushed himself up in a sitting position and stopped Joker from hurting himself. The clown calm down and leaned his face closer to Bruce's.

"You know what, Bats? You know what is the most funniest thing about being US is?" Joker waited for Bruce to answer, but when he doesn't get any, he kept going. " All these years of fighting together like two magnets pushing away from each other. We never switch the magnets around."

"...What do you mean?"

"We had always been apart." He grinned wider. Bruce saw the wondered in the clown's eyes. "We never get close enough to try fun things together."

"...Joker, there had been moments where Batman and Joker had worked together in forced situations-"

"That! Right there. _'forced'_. They were __forced__  together. Doesn't count."

"AND some of them were partners for a short period of time-"

"It was a very short time." He purred.

"I'm just saying that Batman and Joker don't do well together. They can't function well together. They can't agree with one another."

"We function well." Joker grinned and placed his arms around the dark knight's shoulders. "We practically in harmony together."  
  
"..." Bruce was stunned to what he had said. The clown was right, they haven't been acting themselves since he got here. True, they haven't been together often, but now Bruce thought about it, they haven’t acted like a Batman and Joker normally would. Actually, it was the opposite.

Why was that?

He got it.

 _ _‘_ It’s because we both lost something major in our lives…it changed us.’ _His eyes widen."Because there is something wrong with us." He whispered and narrowed his brows. Does that mean...they are no longer counted for as Batman and Joker?

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?" Asked Joker.

Bruce wasn't sure. In all honesty, shouldn't he be in the darkverse? Since he did destroy his own world? Shouldn't he be floating in nothingness? Shouldn't Joker live a normal life among everyone? Since the cure for Joker’s insanity was Batman’s disappearance or death? He was confused.

Is this the strange path the faceless being told him that he needed to feel to happen?

"You know, Brucey. We should give this _'together'_ thing a try. And not in a forced way either. I think we can become something more. Something __terrific__." He whispered into Bruce's ear."We _ _'_ technically' _never gotten close enough to each other to work, right? Not even as best of pals. Admit it, luv. We always wanted each other to be partners." The clown bring their chest closer together and feeling the warmth felt between them. "But something else kept stopping us. With so many excuses, too! because it's too late for me to be good, or I couldn't get you to go insane enough with me?"

 _'Together.'_ Bruce remembered the Batman who laughs and the Bat-Joker cyborg were the only two combined iconic enemies in the Multiverse. But the cyborg was forced together and they were against each other's wills, making them clashed between one another. While the Batman who laughs was the most powerful force to ever exist of the two of them. Having Batman and Joker intertwine minds _ _,__ by being made by the Joker's toxins. But still...he was very dangerous enough to shake the Multiverse to its core. Even now he could see the reports inside his mind of the devastation that Batman Who Laughs brings.

Another reason why Batman and Joker should never come together.

"...Oh, Baby. Imagine us being lovers and the things we would've done." Whispered the clown. His other hand slowly and carefully pushing Bruce's shirt up to his chest. "In the end, underneath our masks...is just our naked, meat-bags selves." He grinned wider. The clown felt his warm skin and muscles against his. "Without our iconic masks there is no Batman or Joker, we are just human."

Bruce carefully looked into Joker's eyesand the clown's pupils widen almost taking over his iris. __'_ Is this the reason why he has been flirting and courting me? Not because of just loneliness, but to connect with each other? To be something more than just Batman and the Joker? But why? Why the need to do this?'_

Feeling something warm roaming around his groin, causing Bruce to wake from his thoughts and pay more attention to what Joker was doing. _'When did he open my zipper?'_ Grabbing the clown's hand and pulling it away, he felt a soft kiss on his cheek. "Stop, Joker."

"Come on, darling. Let's keep going." The clown kept kissing Bruce's cheek. "Let's find out where no bats and clowns had ever gone before." He tried to capture the dark knight's lips with his.

But Bruce moved his face away in time to rejected it. "Sorry. I can't..." Furious, the clown almost pushed the dark knight down to the bed, but Bruce took a step further and flipped Joker onto his back. Pushing the clown's wrist into the mattress. "Please."

The two of them were locked in silences, but Bruce’s eyes plead against Jokers.

Joker turned his face angrily. "Fine...whatever!" Bruce let go of the clown's wrist and lay down next to him. Joker turned his back towards him and went near to the edge of the bed. "That's what I get for trying to sleep with a outer space corpse."

The two of them didn't say anything else for hours. Bruce stayed awake listening to the sound of Joker's soft breathing. The dark knight had been staring at the poster above him for couple of hours. It was Joker holding a card with Batman trapped inside of it. He doesn’t pay much attention to the details of the ink flow, but instead, Joker’s voice kept repeating inside his mind over and over again.

"Only human." He whispered to himself. He glanced back at the clown’s sleeping form and watched the blankets pulsing gently. It was the only time the clown prince of crime was calm and still. After awhile, Joker turned in his sleep and had moved into a position of facing the ceiling. He sighed gently and settled into his comfortable spot.

Bruce pushed himself into a position that he could hovered over Joker without waking him and caress his cheek. The dark knight gently leaned closer to the clown and placed his lips over his. The kiss he gave was soft and fulfilled the deep craving he pushed back harshly for so long. But the guilt and shame raged inside his mind and his heart. He pulled away slowly.

 _ _'...If you only knew there is no such thing is Joker and Batman becoming lovers. There is no else-worlds or Multiverse that ever told a story of Batman and Joker in love. Not even when their just Bruce and Jack.'__ Bruce lied back onto the soft mattress and stared back at the ceiling. "I lived through life now as an outcast because of a joke..." He whispered. "I suffer for it because I saw you differently like no other Batman could."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What happen Bruce?!" Alfred voiced angrily echoed throughout the Batcave. He got off his motorbike and ripped the helmet off his head and chucked it onto the ground. Alfred had enough of his best friend's contradictory actions around the Joker. Enough was Enough. His best friend had been strange for more than six months now and he lost all patient with him. He needed a straight answer and it had to be good.

Batman came out of his Batmobile and took off his cowl. He wanted nothing more to avoid the topic Alfred wanted to bring up, and he ignored him by walking away from him and over to his computer. He leaned his hands on the counter of the keyboard and he felt the blood streamed down his waste. _‘ _That was far too close for comfort.’__

This night was becoming a nightmare. It wasn’t finished yet.

"Every time the bloody clown is around, you become shambles! You almost got yourself killed...again." Alfred took off his hood and mask and tossed them to the side. He chased after Bruce towards the computer. "What in the bloody hell is wrong with you?! Is it Selina? Did you two got into a fight again? Did Scarecrow fear gas gotten into you?"

"NO!..." Bruce shouted, but stopped himself and lowered his voice into a gentler tone. "No... It's nothing like that."

“Then explain yourself!” Alfred waited for the answer, but Bruce avoided to say anything else. This only infuriate his best friend even more.

"If you can’t bring yourself to explain your action, mate. Then you can explain  ** _ ** _this_**_**  to me!" Batman slowly turned to see what Alfred meant. At first, he only saw a ribbon danging from his best friend’s fingers, but his eyes widen when he recognized it.

A purple ribbon holding a curly green hair tightly swing back and forth.

"...That-"

"Don't you dare bullshit with me, Bruce! This fell out of your pocket fortnight ago. And this is what I found! Joker’s hair in a ribbon?!” Alfred waited for some sort of reaction from his best friend, but Bruce remained very still and silent. His back was still facing him and Alfred couldn’t see any of Bruce’s expression, or his body language indicating to what he was saying.

"You know what else I found? A hidden room within the Batcave...filled with photographs, magazines and newspapers of that wanker clown all over the walls and table. As well as disgusting merchandise of the killer." Alfred's one arm moved as if he was seeing the whole wall itself again. “Your obsession with the clown is getting way out of hand, Bruce!!... It’s almost like...like...you __fancy__ him." He cringed.

There was silences lingering in the cave and not even the bats above were stirring. Bruce and Alfred waited for each other to break the thick ice between them.

Bruce was terrified.

Horrifyingly terrified.

"I'm..." He hesitated for second, still rethinking if he should say it or not. "-in love...with the Joker..."

He knew this will change their friendship forever and it terrified him, but Alfred had every right to know. They never kept a secrets from each other, expect for this one, but Bruce was hoping that he could buried this secret to his grave. He never imagine his secrets could had been found out, he tried to hard not to let anyone find out. How wrong he was.

The tense awkwardness devoured the cool air, as Bruce feared Alfred's expression with his whole being shaking to the core. When the silence kept dragging, Bruce turned slightly to see if Alfred was still even there.

All his fears came into realty when Alfred's disbelief and horror stared back at Bruce’s. The dark knight bit his lip and he furrowed his brows almost in pleading, "I don't understand why either, but there something more to him than what we make him out to be. I just can't explain it...everything about him seem-"  
  
"Stop." Alfred's hand held up to halt Bruce from talking anymore. Each sentence that came out of his best friend's mouth made him feel furious, nauseous and disappointed. Alfred could only glared at the ground for the feared he'd might punch Bruce right in his face. His breathing became shaken and his anger was forming into molted lava in his veins, "...Bruce...this clown is a BLOODY PSYCHOPATH KILLER!"  
  
Bruce cringed against Alfred's harsh words and watched his best friend walked back and forth in anger and disbelief.

"...In love....with psychopath clown?! Are you even bloody hearing yourself right now, Bruce?! Has your mind gone wonky? Have you gone barking mad?! Have you forgotten that he bloody hates your guts!" The young man pointed at the Joker card tensely, "That wanker killed thousands upon thousand of innocent of people. FOR FUN!! Almost killed me, Dick, and you! He almost poison the water system to kill the whole city. And your IN LOVE WITH HIM?!"

Alfred’s words could be heard echoing throughout the Batcave, scaring the bats into flying around the cave. Soon enough, they found their way out, leaving two of them alone. Bruce could only hang his head in shame and Alfred couldn’t stand being around him anymore.

“I can’t believe this. I bloody can’t.” Alfred shake his head in disappointment and walked away from Bruce. Disappearing from the batcave altogether.

Bruce couldn’t blame him. How can he not? He knew it will all cause a great reef between him and the Pennyworth. But he knew there was no fruit to ever to come to this, as Joker hated him greatly and his love for Harley was deep. His love for the clown only brings him shame and disappointment from others. Out of everyone he could had let his heart be touched by...it had to be the worsted of them all.

The Joker.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bruce swallowed gently and turned onto his side of the bed. He pushed back the memory deep inside his mind and placed his heart back into the metal box. Locking it up and hiding it deep within his soul. _'It was never meant to be.'_ He reminded himself, as well as the Multiverse kept pointing it out.

Closing his eyes, he let the sleep carrying him back into the dream world of Gotham.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it. Please leave a comment and like! It really does give me determination and I wanted to see your thoughts as a reader what you think so far. Thank you for enjoying my story. *hugs* ~<3


	7. The Question Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I told some of you that I'll place two chapters up...but chap 8 needed a bit more time to develop than I unexpectedly thought. No matter how soon I wanted chap 8 to be done...I just end up something not make sense. (I hate plot holes...) So, I have to take it slow and make sure I don't miss anything, but otherwise, I am so sorry if I took so long!! TT-TT I was stuck on chap 7 for awhile, but once I got over that bump, this chap became farrrrrr too long. So I had to cut it into two halves of chaps 8 & 9\. I thought later on, I can't hold chap 7 hostage while I do chap 8. So here it is.
> 
> Now go read! Enjoy!~<3

Waking up slowly, Bruce felt the aches all over his back and waist. It reminded him of the time when he was beaten by Bane and waking up with sores and bruises that lasted for days on end. It was difficult for him to sit up with the painful shock going through his nerves and his ribs gave him that extra flavour of torment. And to top it all off, his eyes and his head stinging from yesterday events. How could his body go through this much pain than when he fought in the streets of Gotham?

".... I never thought a soft bed could feel just like  Bane’s fists, " he groaned , and gently rubs his lower back and held his aching ribs . Sleeping on the hard ground for four and a half years had taken its toll on Bruce, and then to suddenly  coming  back on  to a soft bed … wasn't doing him any  justice to his  sleep or his body.

Bruce pushed the blanket back and dangled his legs off the bed. Until he felt a crunch of a plastic and something sharp poking underneath his feet. Pulling his feet away, he saw it was a broken plastic toy with sharp edges. But there was more in that small spot of horrors that included cards, marble, old chips, and sticky candy. 

Disgusting.

Absolutely disgusting.

The dark knight slightly forgot about Joker's dreadful, cluttered mess of a bedroom.  The light shining from the windows gave the room full  details of what complete disaster was in front of him. _'This is a death trap. How does he even move around in this?'_ All of Bruce's young life has always been surrounded in a clean environment, and to be drag into this cluttered mess made him cringe. 

How did he even moved around in here last night, or carried the Joker to his bed? It must  have  be en short of a miracle, or the pain from his body was so overwhelming that it blocked out most of his pain sensors in his feet. Even now his ribs screamed at him from neglecting it until now. But it was strange though, he doesn't remember feeling the pain of his ribs last night? Why was that? Yet, he felt the sting of his eyes and headache.

_'Did Joker gave me something last night? Maybe a pain injection?'_ He wasn't sure. It doesn't make a flip of sense to him either. Even now, the question that roamed inside his mind about was,  _'How did the Joker move my unconscious body into the bed through this mess?'_ was hard for him to swallow. Speaking of a Clown.  He glanced over to the other side of the bed and saw it was empty.

He sighed softly and pushed his bangs back away from his face _. 'Did he went back to fighting crime again? '_ he wondered, "I won't be able to get any answers if he kept disappearing like this." He stood up and positioned his feet carefully to where it was less hectic. Never had he thought that he had to be so careful about where he had to step? In hopes, it wasn't a thumbtack, or a pin hiding underneath . He  went back into his own room and got himself ready . Throwing on whatever he takes out from the drawers, which was a long sleeve, gray shirt and pair of jeans.

O nce done,  he went downstairs, but he slowed his pace when he heard a soft mumble coming from the  kitchen . Listening carefully, he heard the Joker's voice whispering loudly to someone else.

"-Remember to be more careful around him! You know how meddling he gets! We still don't know what his true attentions are for being here!" whispered Joker. There was no other voice other than his in the waiting silence. 

Bruce only wished that the clown understood how wrong he was. He truly just wanted to get his supplies ready and leave this world. Leave this clown alone. Leave...whatever this world does alone. Not unless it had to do with destroying other Multiverse or murdering him, but it wasn't his concern right now. He needed to survive long enough for him to get out of here. At first, he was curious about how this world came to be, but all the answers he has gotten so far was lies after lies. That was usually not a good sign.  Just like his computer armour had warned him in the beginning;  _Not Functional_ . And he still doesn't understand what that even meant. He went through plenty of worlds that looked harmless on the surface when underneath was a complete shit show. He just wanted to know if he was completely fucked and would end up becoming something monstrosity in the end. 

All he ever wanted was nothing more than to get back to Multiversity . Get back to his old ways. Check off this strange world as another discovery. See it was a huge threat, or not. Call it a day. Then go back to being the numb, mundane soul in the background. 

That was it.

***B~EErring!***

One camera had turned on, causing Oracle to forcefully turned on itself and stinging both his mind and his eyes. Bruce groaned in pain and placed his hand on his temple. The camera had frequently searched for him and spotted him right away on the staircase. Like an explosion, all the cameras turned on all at once. Almost at an alarming speed. 

***Bi~Eerring!**Beering!**Bing!**Bing!**Bing!**Bing!**Bing!**Bing!***

_'Shit!'_ This was a nightmare for his mind. It was sudden and quick. Oracle wasn't even ready for this and it causes Bruce to lean against the stair rails in agony and held it tightly. 

Well. 

At least, he knows Oracle was back into working order.

The kitchen fell silences for a few moments. "Good morning, Brucey." An eerie, yet haunting voice linger out from the room, along with the smell of coffee floated in the air.

Slowly, but carefully, the dark knight enters the kitchen where the clown was. The glow from the windows had become harsh against his tearful eyes since Oracle came back on. He quickly brushes them away, as his blurry vision searched the room. Of course, no one was there other than the clown by the coffee machine. 

The clown turned slightly and catch the glimpse of the dark knight  and began to laugh. "Y-you really do...Haha! l-look like your possessed b-by a crazed demon! HAHA!" He grinned while showing off his pearl white teeth , "I really do hope you have it for awhile, darlin. It makes you amazingly handsome!"

The dark knight could only glare at him in silences and set himself down on his usual spot beside the island. He was extra careful not to flare his ribs, and for good measures, he turned off Oracle as well. He didn't need it on for the cameras that he already knew was there.

"How did you sleep, deary? Since you had this beautiful creature slumber next to you? Like a dream, I'm sure?" The clown prince leered.

"...Agony." That one word sums up how Bruce felt that whole night. 

The clown roared with laughter, "I forgot that you aren't used to soft, comfy beds for the kings. OH! How did the bat has fallen from grace to live like a vermin? Tsk tsk."

Not like he had a choice. 

Bruce could smell something delicious in front of him and glance over to his breakfast. It was peanut butter and jam sandwich that turned into a french toast. On top of it were powder sugar and strawberries. As well as a warm bowl of oatmeal with yogurt and blue barriers inside. "This french toast can't be healthy for me."

The clown placed their coffee mugs next to each other's plates. "Ooh, you'll like it. I'm sure your inner dead child will be grateful for it... You shouldn't complain! You need all the calories you can get. Put some fat intake in you." He sipped his sugar and cream coffee."It starting to feel like you had been here forever now." He purred.

Bruce stared at the clown and thought about how long he was here for, "It has been six days." He answered more to himself than Joker. Six days...He had been living here for almost a week in this odd world. Yet, the days and the nights had been hard for him to grip. How could he still wake up in mornings, or tell when to go to sleep at night? How? When were the hours of these days shifting?

Tasting the sweet and nutty flavour of his french toast, Bruce was about to ask the clown about the timezone when he stopped mid-thought. He realized the clown dressed in a green dress vast and purple long sleeve shirt. His hair neatly combs back and his blue lips weren't in a long frown as before. "....You aren't going somewhere, are you? You look a little different."

The question brought the clown to his full attention and awaken his signature smile. "Awww, Brucey! Are you missing me already just by the thought of me going?" The clown blinked lovingly at him.

"You said last night we still need to go on our date." Bruce wanted him long enough to get to know each other without the flirting as the main topic. "We both had ruin our dates and I...really...want this to happen."

"What's this?! Hold the breaks!" Joker pretends he pushed the break on the island and even banged on the imaginary horn. "HONK HONK! Bruce Wayne has a thing for colourful, magnificent, handsome clowns?! It's about bloody time, too!" Joker was full of radiance and excitement. "After such a sad and pathetic blue-balls event you put out last night. I thought you won't even care for the date anymore, bats?" 

Bruce paused for a second, "I thought it would be the perfect time for anything to do it today. I mean, we know nothing about each other...” 

"That's crazy talk!" Joker waves his hand away from the outrageous words that came out of Bruce's mouth and took a bite out of his breakfast. "How much different can you possibly be from the other bats? Sure, you need a little bit more meat on you, and yeah, a haircut would be nice. But you can't possibly be any different."

The dark knight knew the clown slightly mistake him for another Bruce, but he didn't know how much he does. That feeling that they already knew each other had been ruling over their subconsciousness for a while now. Somehow, he had to prove it to the Joker that he wasn't the same kinda " _copy_ " as his Bruce Wayne. "....I don't have Robins in my world."

The sound of the fork dropping onto the counter and a violent coughing came from the clown struggling to either swallow the french toast or spit it out. Eventually, the clown spat it out. "WHAAAAT?! What kind of Batman are you?! Are you even a Batman?! Children as your meat-shield are part of your rotten, cruel core!" 

Bruce felt that he was back to Earth-364 with steampunk Robin again. The Joker had the same reaction and the same disbelief. Couldn't he just not be a normal Batman without a Robin or any teenage soldier at his side? This was another reason why he wanted to find the original Bruce and just punch him in the face. Give him a little taste of his own fist. "...I never heard of a Robin until I enter the Multiverse." 

Joker's eyes couldn't be wider from the news. "....Unbelievable! A Batman, that actually didn't put children in harm's way? You're no Batman! You're an imposter!" The Joker looked him up and down with great disgust.

"That's what I meant when I said that we both don't know about each other." Bruce stern voice told the clown he was serious. “We might have an idea of who we are, but not equivalent.”

Still...

He knew deep down that the clown won't provide the answers he was looking for, and he had already lied to him about his past with an illusion. At this point, it would be pointless to ask him anything about the world around him. And Yet…

_Yet_ …

He still had this slight trust in him that Joker might be generous enough to give him something of value. Yet, the dark knight never seems to learn from his past mistakes when trusting the clown. Why does he do this to himself? "As for your  _"game."_ I give you a part of me that you didn't know. Now it's my turn to have one door open."

"No!" Joker bangs his fist on the counter and made the dishes rattle. "That wasn't even the question I wanted to ask! That's a freebie for not keeping your promise!"

The dark knight had forgotten about the promise he had made. With what happened yesterday and the day before, it just slipped his mind. He sighed and gesture his hand for the clown to move along."...Fine. Ask then."

"How did you get off your world?" He said with a grin and placed his hands on his jaw. "You can't excuse yourself this time, Batys. For I am allllllll yours today....and I meant every part of my body, hehe."

Why was this question so important to him? "Look, I know I said it was going to be a long story, which it is, but I'm going to give you the short end...I was forced off of my world from the creature that came from another dimension. Before I knew it, I was sucked into a portal to another world." 

“....Not what I wanted...but you still owe me a long, tragic story, luv." Disappointment etched into the clown's face, as his eyes told Bruce he won't be satisfied until he gets it.

"How about you?" asked Bruce,"How did you get the manor? Why is this a museum?"

"One question at a time, Brucey. I want something in return for that one question." He sneered.

"What?"  
  
"You got loads of answers in my room of fame and the museum itself. If anything, you got a lot more information than I did. That isn't fair, now is it? No, no, no it's not." The clown places his hands together while leaning forward. "Yet, here I am. Not knowing a single thing about you besides being a homeless and Robinless bat. It's about time I gain a little more than that, don't you think?"

"What are you getting at, Joker?" Bruce stern voice gave the clown shivers down his spine. How nostalgic it was for him. 

"I want payment!" In a blithe, the clown had widened his lips. The dark knight's brows arched downwards. He doesn't understand where  _'Payment'_ fits in all these questions. "Forget about the whole opening the door thing. It was stupid anyway!... I was thinking of a different kind of game that we can play."

Bruce's one brow arched upward, "...."

"Here are the rules! You can ask only one question. Get the answer from me and vice versa!" The clown pointed his finger at Bruce, "Buuuuut, if you asked more than one question... YOU HAVE TO PAY UP, BATS!" He saw the scowl resting on Bruce's lips, as he devoured all the displeasure from it.

Frustrated and annoyed, Bruce had to sip his coffee to calm his nerves down and think about what the clown's game tactic was. "What sort of payment are we talking about here?"

"OOoh ho!" Joker places a finger into his green hair and twirled it. His eyes had a seductive sparkle in them. "Guessss!"

Bruce's eyes widen and growls. "You sick-"

"Ah, ah, ahhhh." The clown waved his finger at Bruce, "Only if you do the game right, you might be able to save yourself. Which you won't...hehe, since you're all about the questions, hey baty-boy?" He laughed loudly. 

The dark knight glanced down to his half-eaten breakfast.  _'If I ask any other extra question. This sex-feen will get more than just me sleeping next to him...I could choose to ignore this...'_ But does he want too? Does he really want to ignore it? Will it be so bad?

No. Push it back.

_'I just have to be careful.'_ He told himself. "Fine. Let’s play your game." 

Ecstatic, the clown leaned back with his arms in the air, "Excellent! Oh, this will be such a great progress  in our relationship, darlin. You'll see!" 

Bruce sallow harshly, "...."

The clown tapped his spoon against his blue lips and pondered. "Hmmmm! As for your question. I took this lovely nest for myself! With Brucey gone. The dear old butler was lost as to what to do and flew  back to England. Too heartbroken to stay in th is huge house all in his alone-some-self."

"What? but what abou-" Bruce caught himself when he saw the clown's creasing grin.  _'Shit. What happens to the boys? Shouldn't they have gotten the manor?'_ Bruce thought, baffled.

"Awww, you didn't have to stop. But whatever! My turn!" Joker placed another piece of french toast into his mouth and swallowed. "If you didn't have any Robins. Then who was your sidekick?"

"Alfred was my sidekick."

"WHATTT?! Your butler?! That old fool can't even manage to hold himself together! Why not Gordon or Catzy?" question the clown.

A sly smile appeared on Bruse's lip, "What will you give me for that question?"

Stunned, Joker hit his fist on the island. He was angry with himself for losing at his own game. "Rats! I walked right into that one...Fine." He grumbled, "You can have me walk around naked in the manor for two days."

"....How about no. Instead, you open the twin doors in the grand hall." Bruce finished his oatmeal and sips his coffee.

"You want doors to be open instead of seeing this live marble statue walking around naked? For shame, bats. For shame." The disappointing look on the clown's face couldn't be any sweeter.

"...Alfred was a lot younger in my world. He was my childhood friend and we fought crime together." Bruce could tell the clown wanted to ask for more, but he had to hold off for now. "What will you give me for the Catwoman or Gordon question?"

"I'll pass. No one really cares about the pussy or the cop, anyways." He shoos it away with his hand.

“...Fine. Why didn't the boys take over the manor?"

"The same reason as the butler did!" He giggled and finished his french toast, "None of them really wanted the manor! So, I just took it all for myself. I told you already, they are living their own lives."

That doesn't sound accurate. Not at all. To what his knowledge about the three older boys was, they would never have left Alfred behind, or the manor to anyone. Especially not to the Joker. "They just gave you the manor? That's doesn't sound realistic."

"...Oh, doubting me as usual, bats. Now. Let me see what I can get for that second question then." He asked himself happily. 

Bruce knew if he continues with this question he might not get the true answer he was looking for. He had to take what the clown's answer as a grain of salt, but...curiously, he needed to test the waters of what sorts of answer he would get in return and what kind of payment would the Joker wanted from him. Does the clown really want the sexual connection from him or something more of information value? He was hoping for the last idea."I'm going to change the question, but you can still get the payment."

“Do whatever you like, darling." The clown grinned, "I only care about the payment."

“How long did you had this manor for?" Asked Bruce, curious about what kind of made up answer the clown would give him. "What do you want for it?"

The clown flicked the spoon in the bowl this way and that. He licked his lip before a huge smile raised to his cheek. "Every time you take a shower. You call for me to join you."

Bruce slammed his hands on the counter as he stood quickly, "What?!"

Laughter could be heard echoing throughout the manor. Slowly, Joker calms himself down, but the image of Bruce's bewilder expression was far too amazing. "That look....wonderful! But, no take backs, luv! Now...for your question. I had this beautiful home for seven years."

‘ _Seven_ _years?’_ Bruce was dumbfounded at the answer, but he knew full well that the answer he got was a load of crap. _‘The manor looked far more neglect when I first came here, and even now the Joker looked to be in his late twenties than what his photos show.’_ Doesn't the clown remember the newspaper articles and the information in his museum had different dates on them? Was he even trying to make his answers realistic, or he knew the whole time Bruce won’t believe him. _‘Shit...’_ That was it, wasn't it? The clown knew it won't matter what answer he gave him, Bruce won't believe him either way. The information will always be nonsense. _‘...It truly is pointless...’_

Bruce had to calm himself down after dealing with the realization, and he needed another plan to find better clues. The only way he could think of one was to get the  _‘payments’_ to explore places he couldn’t do before and find the real answers there. If the clown wanted the truth about 1109, he might as well give it to him. Maybe...Joker would slip up, or won't care enough about how many payments Bruce might get. He wasn't going to enjoy this...and the clown gleefully knew this.  "Ask your damn question, already."

"Pff. Spoilsport. You said Alfred does crime fighting too. Did something tragic happen to him as well?"

Bruce grew silent, a flash of memories of that night came into him like a blade to his head. "His father died in the same pass driving shooting as my parents. Since we were all driving in the same car." He caught the clown fascination forming onto his face.

"You don't say...so, you're parents didn't get killed by Joe Chill?"

The dark knight crossed his arms on the island. "I want to go to the city today."

Confused at first, Joker realized that he had to pay up, "Fine, fine, whatever you want! Keep going already."

For a moment, Bruce remains quiet, but he couldn't contain his hatred when the memories flow back into his mind. "....I am not sure...who killed my parents...they wore white masks to cover their appearance. Maybe Joe Chill was one of them? I would never know...I didn't get the chance to know any of their names...but I only knew what the group was called...and who was running behind the scenes." The dark knight falls quiet again, as the clown watched with great interest in what may be brooding inside of the cap crusader's heart.

"OOoh! Brucey! I can’t stand it any longer! I need to hear this tragic story! You have to tell it to me!" He shoved his dishes further away from him and he grabbed onto Bruce's arm, but the dark knight remained seated.

"Wait, I'm not done with the question game yet and we just started it."

"Oh, come on! It has alrighty gotten boring. Let's go!" The clown tug on Bruce's arm, giving the slight pain to his ribs. He pulled his arm away just in time before the clown does any more damage to him.

"No. I want to know who made this museum?" 

The clown paused at first. " I did."

Stun, Bruce stared intensely at the clown. "You  did ?"

"Pay up."

Bruce narrow his brows. "What do you want?"

Joker grinned and leaned his cheek against his shoulder, "A month of sleeping next to me."

Bruce cringe at the thought. "......Three days."

"Two weeks." The clown counter.

"Your room is disgusting. I fear my health in that. Four days."

"Fine! I'll clean it, you clean freak. A week and a half."

Bruce sighed and thought about it more. That soft bed would kill him and he won't be able to sleep correctly. Well, he hasn't slept correctly since he gotten here, and the large tribute of pain went into his insomnia. Now, he had to worry about sleeping next to the Joker on the soft bed. For a question? The agony continues..."Fine. But all bets are off if your room isn't clean."

“Wonderful!" This gets the clown excited again for his question game, but soon his expression turned bleak." At first, I just left the manor how it was, but then...I found myself collecting anything that had Batman on it that I could find. I even dig up old news articles and old photos of the dumb Batfamily. You know me, Bats. Once I get obsessed with something, I can't stop. Obsession was understatement...more than usual. It was the only way I could cooperate with not having him here." His words were distant, but something about the clown seems genuine. There was a lot of sadness and withdrawn about him. 

It caught the dark knight by surprised. "...Joker." He spoke softly.

Joker's hand gestured told Bruce to  _ 'never mind' _ . "...I'm fine now."

"But...doesn't all of this...cause you more grief ? You ’re locking yourself in to a depressing loop here."

"Oh, Bats. Aren't you listening? I said it helps me cooperate. Its what keeps me from going sane!" He laughed and shocked Bruce at the sudden outburst. "I'll give you that one since you showed me your caring side for me." He flicked the dark knight's nose. "Hmmm, after you got off your world and got yourself beautifully lost. What have you been doing since then?"

"...Jumping worlds. But my portal got infected by a severe v irus from Earth-545. I couldn't jump into normal  Multiverse since then. Instead, it takes me to  nightmarish world s , ” Bruce rubbed his face. "I've been at the mercy of it since . I've been hoping to "one day" come across a world that could help me fix my  portal device ."

"A portal device, you say? ” He said with great interest.  “ Not to worry, luv!” Joker caressed Bruce’s cheek and had his face turned completely to him. “Since we are going to town today! We can check out some stuff you’re looking for in the electronic store! I know the best place and the person to help you with.”

Surprised, Bruce was caught off guard at the sudden turn of the event. Actually, telling the truth to this Joker gave him a slight benefit of getting some sort of help. Even the thought of  _‘someone’_ else, other than the clown, he would be able to see. To talk too. To give him some enlightenment to what this world might be. It sounded too good to be true...and it might be. “Really? Is it Cyborg? I read that he had been training the young heroes to be the new Justice League.”

“Ahhh, not really...” The clown answered uncertainty.“Cyborg is in...ah...mission....”

Bruce felt his heart sank at the clown's reaction. Not only will he be unable to get Cyborg to look at his portal device. It only means there might not be a Cyborg anywhere in this world. Never mind being on a mission. "Do you even know where he is ?”

“Payment~~.” Joker sang and wrapped his arms around his shoulder. “I’ll tell you, even though you do own me two payments.”

Suspicious grew within the dark knight like Riddler’s unseen clues. Everyone seems to be gone somewhere or had been killed by the creature. Was anyone even alive on this planet? What was going on here? Bruce couldn’t figure it out yet. “I’ll give you the second question, but the last one I’ll do without. What is it that you want?”

“A kiss whenever I feel like it.”

It felt like the world had ended for Bruce all over again.“No.”

“WHAT?! How dare you!” The clown grabbed onto Bruce’s shirt and pulled him closer to his face. “I gave you that answer, and I want my payment! A kiss whenever I feel like it!”

“I refuse.” Bruce sternly answered. 

“You would sleep next to me, but you won’t kiss me?!” The clown growled. He shook Bruce like a spoiled child wanting his video game back, “What kind of backwards knowledge is that?!”

Bruce wasn't sure what to do since he doesn't want to get any closer to the clown that he already was. It was already frightening enough how fast the clown had gotten away with the stuff he pulled with him. Within six days even. Not to mention how sex starve the clown was for Batman, and how deeply he wanted to connected with him. 

But that’s the question...would  _ANY_ Batman do for him, or was this all an acted?

No. He won’t play into this. 

Bruce had to think of something else to satisfied the clown.  “ Look.” The dark knight grabbed onto Joker’s wrist gently and pulled it away from his grey, long sleeve shirt, “I like that we aren’t killing each other and more towards-”

“Lovers?” Joker grinned and finished the sentence for him. 

“...Being friends." Bruce counter finished. The clown frowns deeply at the friend zone remark. "...We should focus on knowing about each other more, than having sexual benefits. Don't you think? This is very new to me...being friends with you...The Joker... Is already hard enough for me to swallow. Can we just keep it this way?" It wasn't lying. Bruce had only one friendly encountered with a Joker, but the rest of them were like being near exotic animals. Not knowing what they might do. They would be affectionate towards him at first and then turn around and started to dig out Bruce's insides. Jokers were unpredictable, and this sad Joker proved that he wasn't much different on the wild side.

An eerie silence formed around the clown, as his eyes stood still against Bruce's chest. He doesn't say or do anything for awhile, causing the dark knight to worry for a bit. Bruce tips his head to the side slightly to get a better look into the clown’s eyes. In a quick motion, his eyes caught Bruce’s. They held each other there for a few moments, _‘I never had this much silences between me and the clown...’_

"Riddle me this then?" The dark knight was a little comprehended at the familiar sentence coming out of the clown's lips, "Oops, that wasn't my phrase." The clown smirked and came closer to Bruce. The scent of green apples lingered around the clown was intoxicating to him. "Come on, Brucey, why so shy? You should've just said so!"  
The dark knight was a little confused as to what the clown meant. The clown prince only rolled his eyes at Bruce’s confusion. “The Feline, duh!" He answered for him. "All that crap being loyal to her, and the lovey-dovey shit you do. You have a thing for her, too, right?"

Little annoyed at the ‘default’ mention of Selina. He wanted to make one thing clear, “No. Selina and I aren’t together.”

The clown gasp in a dramatic surprised. “Whaatttt?! A Bat without a cat and a bird?!” Joker release Bruce as if he was burnt by him. “Now I know your imposter!! Now thinking about it, your jawline is smaller than my Bats does!”

Bruce wasn't going to ask for a payment this time, but since they're on the topic of  _‘girlfriends.’_ There was one person he had been dying to know. “ ... How about you? What happen to Harley?” Oh, how the clown’s face dropped as if Batman just spoiled his plan once again. 

“What about Harley?” The clown snapped at him slightly and walked over towards the window.

"W ell...t he ballroom said you two had a  massive break up?"

".... Geez, Bats. What a way to ruin the mood!" He grumbled. "It wasn't a breakup, she was never my date, to begin with! If anything, she was more like a cockroach. " He walked back over to his stool and sat down. " I try to get rid of her before, you know. Shoved her in a rocket and blasted her off into space! But you know what happens? She comes right back. I decided to use her like toy monkey. The more I got her to do something, the more she leaves me alone. But later on, she did the unspeakable. She stole my plan and hang my Batman on chains. I was so angry, I shoved her out the window, but no, she lived through that even.  " He crossed his arms in an annoyment, “Finally, she went her own way and did her own hero thing. That’s when I finally got rid of her.”

".....You did what?" To Bruce, this was opposite of what his Joker and Harley would do to each other. He saw the many reports and the other multiverses about the horrible abuse that Joker had done to her, and it was no different when the two parties switched roles, but it was still hard for him to comprehend. “....Fascinating.”

Watching him closely, the sad clown took the hint that Bruce might have a different outlook on Joker and Harley, “Don’t tell me. ...Is your Joker and Harley...lovers?”

The dark knight was completely silent for a moment. “...Not lovers. Happily married.”

“What?!" That bit of information almost threw the clown back out of his seat but caught himself in time. "Happily married...Happily married?!.....EEWwwwWWw!"

“Well, the day my Joker met Harley was love at first sight. They did crime together, and even made their own sick version of their wedding, until....” He paused as the flash of memory of the warehouse rooftop incident happen. "He decided to stop doing the crime. The both of them change their names and settle down to raise their daughter together in the outskirts of Gotham." Bruce swallows down the memory that aches him to this very day, but he left no sign of pain on his face.

Joker, on the other hand, try to get the very image out of his head, "...The thought of marrying Harley is.....outrageous!" He spat. "And even having a snot nose brat with her...." His face twisted into pure disgust.

“Harley was a sweet girl. Any man would’ve loved to have her by her side. I just couldn’t believe she would choose someone like...the Joker.”

“.....Hold the gas bombs....” The clown leaned closer onto the island. “Do you have a thing for Harley?”

Bruce couldn't help but smile slightly at the ridiculous thought of Harley and him together. Yes, he saw other Batmans dating Harley instead of Catwoman, but the image of himself with Harley was humorous. It would've driven his Joker into jealousy fits. Heck, it would've killed him stone dead if that happens.

“Answer me! Do you?” Joker stood up away from his stool and bang his fist onto the island. The smile on the dark knight’s face wasn’t settling well with the clown.“...Do you, or do you not?!”

Despite never seeing her in this world, the clown seems to really hate the thought of him liking the spiteful woman, “Does that bother you?”

The clown puffed up his chest and he shoved their dishes to the ground. Smashing them into pieces. He climbs up onto the island towards Bruce. "I'll tell you this, Bats!" His voice caked in jealousy and annoyance, as he creeps inches away from Bruce's face. "By the time I'm done with you," He grabbed Bruce's chin and forced it upwards to his. "You will beg for me to devour every inch of myself into you. You will end up only thinking about me, wanting to touch me, and wanting to fuck me in complete bliss. Got it, darling?" He licked Bruce's cheek up towards his one eye.

Bruce was speechless about the clown’s declaration of what he wanted to do with him. He doesn’t understand why the clown was okay with Selina and yet...not with Harley.  _‘Did I miss on information that I’m not aware of?’_ or was this something that only the sad Joker has a vendetta on? All thought was lost when he felt his emotions and the adrenaline washed over him like wildfire when the clown licked him. He needed to get away from him. His shaking breath gave him the sign to pull away from the clown's grip and off his stool. He had his back towards the clown and calmed himself down. "Did ever occur to you that I might not swing the way as you do?" In an angry motion, he peaks over his shoulder to the clown prince.

The clown narrowed his eyes and jumped off the counter. "Oooh, it did occur alright..." He whispered in a growl and walked up to Bruce. Bruce quickly turned to fully faced the Joker, as the clown went up against his chest. "I think you are more than what you put out."

“And that is?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Bats! I’m talking about this conversation we had in the shower. About you letting me fuck you over.” The clown wrapped one arm around Bruce’s waist roughly and crushed him closer against his. Causing Bruce’s ribs to scream in agony. “See, this right here. The closeness I can become with you and you doing nothing about it. You could’ve avoided it by simply punching me square in the face like my Bats always does. But you don’t. You just let me right in. Welcoming me.” He grinned, as the dark knight expression turned sour. “Don’t you DARE pretend that I don’t see that hopeful glow in your eyes when we get close enough to one another.” Bruce felt the air in his lungs stop. “That makes my little hamster’s wheel turning inside my little noggin, you see. That you do swing some _-way_. Otherwise, you would've had avoided me like a deadly plague." The clown leaned up against Bruce's ear and whispered, "That only tells me you are as fucked up as I am, and I would've not tried so hard into courting you." He bit into the dark knight’s earlobe.

The dark knight shoved the clown away from him and walked towards the kitchen door holding his side of his rib. Every inch of his body tingle with the warmth from the clown, but his mind was racing that he should've done better. He could blame the exhaustion, the loneliness, and the pain for his lack of performance to hide himself. But deep down in the shadow of his heart, he knew there was something stirring inside that metal box. Scratching, clawing and banging to come up to the surface. He knew what it was, and he hated himself for it.

“Maybe, it should also occur to you that I grew tired of fighting with Jokers all my life." He growled back at him and left the kitchen to the grand hall.

The clown stood there quietly and bit onto his thumbnail with a sly grin on his lips. He chuckled slightly and followed Bruce. In the grand hall, Bruce stood near the twin doors calming the pain of his rib.

"Ah! Your most disappointing prize you'd ever win. The doors..." Joker shook his head. "I would've been the best prize ever by running around naked, but NOOOOooo. Must've been all those doors slamming against your face that get you into door fetish, hey Brucey?"

"Just open it." 

The clown took out a pare picklocks and fiddle around the keyhole until it was unlocked. He pushed open the door widely. "Ladies first." He gestured. Bruce was about to walk through when Joker stopped him. "I meant me." He went through the door. 

Bruce rolled his eyes and followed him in. Inside the living room, was pretty much the same as before, but the only difference was that it was clean like the rest of the manor. The fireplace was going as it filled the room with a comfortable warmth. A huge paper-flat TV screen was hung on top of the mantle. The clown went over to the white couches and jumped onto its soft cushions. The once thick dust that lay on the floor had long been gone and left a beautiful, polish shine that mirrors the room. Bruce quickly glanced over to where the staircases were and found that they simply disappeared, and the thing that was taking its place was a bookshelf. 

_'What?'_ Bruce couldn't have imagined it. Did he? Those staircases were there. The floor shows no sign of marking indicating that it had moved. The dust that once shows steady activity on the staircase had long been gone. How could a couple of stairs just completely disappear? Unless they too were illusions?

Bruce came over to the bookshelf and pick out one of the books. It felt real enough. When he turned Oracle back on, it wasn't glitching to anything. Nothing. Instead, it found three new cameras on each side of the ceiling corners and one in the TV. The stairs had completely and simply vanished. Even the opening where the stairs lead into was replaced with a wall and a painting.

_'Has this manor...always been moving around?'_

He hoped not...and if it did.  It was like being inside a funhouse more than a manor. Nothing appeared what it seems. Before he felt like a trapped animal in a cage, but now he knew he was a trapped mouse in a maze. That was the most freighting of all aspect. The manor felt like Bruce Wayne's home, but it was disguised as Joker's haunted funhouse.

"Something wrong there, bats?" The clown watched as Bruce moved along to the other side of the room. 

Bruce took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders."No, not at all. It's much more welcoming than I expected." For now, he would let it go. He was very disappointed, but not surprised either. He went over towards the large windows that held the full view of the black forest. Bits of snow swirled around through the breaches and lightly hitting the window. The trees would sway back and forth into a gentle dance among themselves. There was a blizzard going on and it doesn't seem to want to stop. It was so enchanting and yet chills to the bones.

1109 doesn’t know which was worse anymore. Being in the comfort of strange home that was filled with dangerous secrets, or dealing with the elements outside that would slowly kill him? He could risk it and try to survive the elements rather than being in here. It won’t be the first time he had to survive in the harsh conditions of winter, but he wasn't ready for it. He would've been frozen or starved to death, and make this world his final resting place. 

He went through many kinds of environment each time he landed on to these worlds. He went through the wretched scorching desert in the blazing sun. Deep forest and jungles that were home to creatures and instincts unknown to him, while dodging any sort of poisons or infections that would cause his death. Including mountains so high that he had to slowly make his way down from the rocky slopes and hide away from the rapid weather. He even landed in the middle of the oceans three times in his portal jumps. It was one of the most frightening experience he had the pleasure of surviving in. And of course, frozen ice lands of the darkest winters and the harshest winds. He survived all this because of his wits, his armour, his equipment and his gadgets, and most of all, his portal device. But the more worlds he entered, the more his supplies had dwindled to almost nothing, and his equipment and gadget had broken down or had been lost in the unpredictable events. Including his armour slowly malfunction each time he went through countless battles within the worlds. There were moments...very hopeless and dire moments...that he felt he might not survive in what little chance he had. 

But in a strange turn of event, the little metal pieces that he found sprung up mostly inside of abandoned cities, bunkers, or hidden bat caves. Even cities that were in crisis, or gone through Armageddon, he’d find the equipment he needed for his next jump. He had tried to restock as much as he could and that would keep him going for awhile. 

When he jumps into a wasteland world, he had his quiet moments and he would try to fix his gadget and armour as best as he could. 

But he knew it was a matter of time for 1109 to land on an Earth that will be his permanent home. He had nothing to prepare for his next jump right now, but it was a chance he was willing to take to be trapped by any villain sick amusement. 

Suddenly, Bruce felt a pare of arms carefully wrapping around his waist from behind. By now, Bruce knew this was the clown’s favourite position when it comes to touching him. Is this third time now? He glanced over his shoulder to see the clown snuggling against his back. "What are you-"

“Shh. You are breaking the moment.” He muffled against his back.

Sighing, Bruce turned back to the window, leaving the clown to do whatever he wanted. He knew he shouldn’t do this after what the clown had told him, but he couldn’t bring himself to push the clown away.  _‘I’m such a fool....’_

They stay like that for awhile, as the clown felt the warmth and soft breathing from Bruce. It was strangely comforting, and for the first time, the atmosphere wasn’t so death-like when he first came here. 

That scares 1109 so deeply.

Bruce glanced down at the pair of arms that held him so tenderly. It was so unreal. The one thing that he would never imagine could happen to him was a Joker wanting him romantically, or sexually. Even though it could be all an illusion. He couldn't help feeling a bit excited about it. Oh, how he craved for this twisted, shameful fantasy of the clown that no Batmen would ever think possible.

Joker was right though, 1109 was well aware of how fucked up he truly was by wanting the killer clown romantically, but that was the problem. There was never a Batmen who had a love interest in the clown, and the hate was so great between the two, it was written off as destined enemies forever. That was when 1109 truly realized he was a failure as Batman, and he tried to repent and ignore that side of him from the prejudiced eyes. Even telling himself a thousand times that this crazy, psychopath behind him only cared about torturing Batman with great enjoyment. There was no love there inside the clown beside the endless pain it would cause for 1109.

An alarming theory hit him, that this demented world might be just a fly trap in disguise. That somehow it takes its victims from the outskirts of the wormhole into itself, and change its environment into fitting one for the victim’s own personal comfort, and maybe...deepest desires. But for what reason? Food? Who knows...

Should he just let go and have this world take him? He was so tired of holding his emotion back, that he had a hard time finding a reason as to why he does. He  _has_ nothing. He  _is_ nothing. There were countless other Batmen in the multiverses that lived before him and without him. To him,a failure Batman shouldn’t have been alive. If he was going to die either way, by worlds, by the clown, or by the elements, would it be so bad to surrender to his darkest, disgusting desires...just this once? He could give into the clown’s sexual hunger, and they could both devour each other’s flash into one unity. Death by fantasy. 

Hesitating, 1109 lifted his hand to hover the clown's arm. He wanted to feel it. Wanting to touch the very skin that only he had been doing in his dreams. Until the camera in the corner told Oracle it had widened its lens. Snapping out of it, he quickly pulled his hand away to his side again and returned his sight back to the scenery.

No...

‘ _Enough of this, 1109.’_ he thought, _‘Nothing good will come out of this. This world might never give you what you truly wanted.’_ The dark knight needed to stay strong. He needed to stay on the right path. 

Watching the trees sway back and forth, it hit Bruce about the photos he took from the other day. "Those trees...” he said gently to the man behind him, “What are they?"

Glancing over to his shoulder at the forest, the clown remains silent for a bit before he answered. "Those? It's just Ivy's stupid trees. Nothing special."

"Nothing special? They seem special enough for someone to try to kill me with a broken mug." He glared over at the clown. 

The clown pulled away and placed a hand over his heart."That hurts, bats! You know better than anyone that I won't ever hurt you. I simply was having a bad day....again."

The dark knight had his full attention towards him."...Those trees aren’t Ivy’s style either, Joker. I doubt she would make something so lifeless."

"Oh? What makes you think that?" He crossed his arms in a challenging matter.

"They looked dead and burnt. Most of Ivy’s plants are vibrant in colours."

"....Well, Brucey." He dour and poked Bruce’s chest. "Just shows how much you know nothing of this world's Ivy."

It might be true that this world's Ivy was different than his, and he has yet to see her also. But, still. Even for any multiverse Ivys, she won't create any black plant such as this forest, and the perfect rows indicate that it wasn't even her doing. It wasn't messy, or natural like most of her power shows. They grow as soon as they were planted on the spot. And these trees held warm tar that wasn't poisonous. If she really doesn't want anyone to touch them, she could've made these plants truly deadly as a defence mechanism. Once he gets the chance to look at those photos, it might give them an idea what they might be. 

“That doesn’t explain about your wrathful behaviour.” The dark knight growled in his throat.

The clown quickly turned his back on him. "I just don't want to be blamed for hurting her precious weeds. That's all." He fussed.

Despondent, Bruce sighed to himself and turned back to the window. _‘Why do I even bother?’_

“That’s a couple of payments you need to pay, luv.” He went beside the dark knight and grinned at him. Hinting Bruce that the game was still going and he was collecting payments along the way. “But, I will count them all as one payment, if-”

“If-?”

“You _‘finally’_ keep your promise and tell me your tragic. Gloomy. Life story,” He answered with much glee.

The dark knight stood quietly as he watched the clown's eyes shine with curiosity."Fine. As promised." Bruce sighed. He walked over to the couch and sink into the soft cushion. "It's a long story..." He warned again, hoping that the clown would fall asleep halfway.

The clown clumsy went over the header of the couch and flipped over. He fixed himself up right next to Bruce and cuddle against him...as promised. "Don't you worry your little head, Batsy. I'm sure my crime-fighting buddies can handle themselves without me today. Nothing is going to stop this clown from hearing this. Just only..."

“Only?”

“...I'm too lazy to make that hot cocoa that I wanted," grumbled Joker.

The dark knight raised a brow, but leave it at that.“...It started in the evening of November...” He began. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the amazing comments! *\\\=^_^=//* You don't know how much it means to me!! It burns passion with me like flames!
> 
> Once again, I'm truly sorry if I couldn't place another chap 8 up. Y~Y I feel like a disgusting lair... 
> 
> So next, we learn more about 1109 world and how he became Batman. *whisper* Bruce isn't kidding that it'll be long story.........lllllllooooongggg....story....look forward to that later in the next update! 
> 
> Critique is always welcome, too. ^_^


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